By His Side
by madmamabear
Summary: Jacob is injured in the fight with the newborns more severely than originally thought, though he is still convalescing at home. Bella makes a different decision when she visits him after Carlisle leaves. All things Twilight belong to Stephenie Meyer. This plot deviation is mine. This is my first fanfic, please review.
1. Chapter 1

By His Side

Chapter One

"What do you mean she won't leave?"

Charlie stared hard at Carlisle who was pinned down by the glare of the porch light. It was late and Charlie wanted Bella home, not  
an excuse from a third party he thought far removed from the situation. He was an acquaintance, a good doctor, his daughter's boyfriend's  
adoptive father. None of those gave him the status to stand here in the middle of the night and tell him his daughter wasn't coming home.

Carlisle shifted his stance uneasily and tried a placating yet comforting smile.

"She's with Jacob, Charlie. He's going to be laid up for a while getting over his injuries from the accident, and Bella seems to have a bit  
of a Florence Nightingale syndrome going."

He hoped the light humor would appease Charlie and perhaps reduce the amount of blood currently flowing in Charlie's bulging facial and neck veins.  
He also was attempting to deflect some anger from Bella and curiosity away from Jacob's current status.

"She's actually being a great help to Billy and me. Naturally, I can't stay at Jacob's bedside and Billy is limited as well. Won't it be acceptable if  
she continues to help us look after him?"

Charlie grumbled, fussed, swore under his breath, swore not under his breath, paced and stomped. The usual.

"All right, Doc, I guess I can't complain too much if she's actually helping out.  
I'll call over there and talk to her and let her know I expect her home as soon as Jacob's up and around. Thanks for bringing me the message."

He extended his hand and Carlisle shook it hesitantly and quickly, lest Charlie get too much of an opportunity to sense the severe temperature difference.  
Charlie watched as Carlisle backed out of the driveway and headed toward town, back to the hospital no doubt. He closed the door just a little too hard and  
swore again as the picture hanging on the wall next to it turned loose and crashed to the floor. That girl was going to be the death of him, and if not her  
then those damn boys she couldn't leave alone,...or that wouldn't leave her alone. He went to the phone and jabbed in the number of Billy Black's home  
in La Push. Even at this hour, he was damned well going to speak to his wayward daughter and push that little piece of his mind through the phone line somehow.  
Billy picked up before the second ring echoed away.

"Hello?"

"Billy? Hey, it's Charlie. I'm sorry to call so late, but I understand that my daughter has camped out at your place. Can you please put Bella on the line?"

Billy snorted and sounded a bit surprised at Charlie's attempt at polite conversation. His growling voice didn't fit with the words.

"Sure thing, Charlie. Hang on just a minute."

There was a pause that Charlie felt was longer than he'd like, some shuffling noises, some muffled voices, then finally some familiar timid-sounding footsteps.

"Dad?" She sounded sleepy and somehow, about five years old. Charlie had to smile and just shake his head.

"Bells, honey. Are you alright?"

"Yeah, Dad, I'm fine. What did you want? You're not gonna make me come home are you? I have to stay with Jake, he's hurt, Dad, please don't make me leave..."

"Bella! Honey, honey, it's ok. No you don't have to leave him right now, I understand, at least I'm trying to.  
I don't want you out driving alone at this hour anyway. Just behave yourself, don't get in Billy's way, and call me once in a while, ok?"

There was a very extended silence on the line.

"Okay, umm,...thanks, Dad. Hey, uh, Dad...did...Edward call over there...or anything?"

Charlie was stumped there.

"No, he didn't. Why, when was the last time you talked to him? Doesn't he know where you are? What's going on Bells?"

His voice was growing agitated. He was losing the composure he was fighting to maintain. Bella stuttered and stammered.  
She had painted herself into a bit of a corner.

"Nothing's going on, Dad. It's just that I haven't talked to Edward since yesterday and he doesn't exactly know that I'm still here...or why."

"Well, you can bet that he'll know you're still there as soon as Carlisle gets home, if not sooner. He just left here not five minutes ago after  
delivering your message. Why ARE you still there, Bella?"

Boy, he wasn't going to beat around the bush, was he? Bella took a deep breath and let it out slowly, trying to get her voice to come out more steadily.  
May as well practice biting the bullet with Charlie before she stepped up to face Edward.

"Dad...let me say this all at once, don't interrupt me and don't question me on this now, okay? I promise I'll explain everything to you later."

She paused, waiting for his acquiescence or his vengeance. Charlie was holding his breath but managed to grunt, indicating she should continue.

"I've decided to break up with Edward. I've chosen to be with Jacob as long as he'll have me, if he'll have me. Nothing bad happened between Edward and me,  
it's just the decision I've made. I've thought about this a lot, so don't try to talk me out of it or anything. I love Jacob and I'm going to stay here and take  
care of him as long as I can."

Bella would likely have huffed and stamped her foot if she could have seen Charlie at that moment. As quietly as he could manage, he  
was fist-pumping and doing his best imitation of an end zone happy dance. He tried to calm down and stand still before he made his response  
in as much of an understated manner as he could manage.

"Well, honey...I understand that couldn't have been an easy thing for you to do, and I don't want you to worry about me. Just make sure your  
careful and do what you need to do to be happy. That's what you deserve and that's all I want for you."

Charlie was going to try to be humble when he accepted his Oscar for this performance. Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!

Another long silence on the line was accompanied by the unmistakable sounds of repeated heavy swallowing.

"T-t-t-thanks, Dad? I'll keep in touch with Jacob's progress, I promise, ok?"

"Sure thing, honey. You take care now. Love you."

"Love you too, Dad."

And the line went dead.


	2. Chapter 2

By His Side

Chapter 2

JPOV

Man! That really hurt. That hurt like a mother. Damn Leah. She just doesn't realize what we're up against does she?

Never go at a newborn alone. She knew that. But we got him. Even though he got me first. Well, dammit,

it'll hurt like hell and I'll be laid up for a week or so and be good as new again. There are a few perks to being

a wolf. Just have to tough it out I guess. I think everyone else is okay. A few nicks and cuts but no losses.

That's the main thing. And we got 'em all. The sorry sons of bitches. I really hate leeches. Don't dwell on that now though.

The newborns are all gone and Bella is safe. For now. We'll deal with those Eye-talians later. Just another day at the races.

I hope Bella's alright. I bet she's messed up if she knows I got hurt. That's kind of embarrassing now that I think of it.

Big ol' Chief Jacob, got his ass handed to him on a bloodsucker platter. Aw, hell. Maybe Bella won't look at it that way.

If I ever have a chance with her, she needs to think I'm invincible, right? I'll have to be more careful when the Pack is hunting.

I don't want to give her any opportunities to see me as second best. Not if I plan to convince her I should be her first choice.

Funny, I wonder why she hasn't come to check up on me. I know how she is when she thinks I'm hurt or in danger. She comes running, then.

Now that I notice, I wonder why it's so quiet. Where is everybody? Hmm. That's kinda weird. There should be lotsa noise in the house.

There should be tons of people milling around the living room and kitchen. There should be a television blasting a baseball game

or something. And I can't hear a damn thing. I wonder if that leech snatched my ears off. Boy, that would suck wouldn't it? Would those grow back?

I think I'm getting a little worried now. What's going on? Let's see, Leah went for that leftover vamp. I jumped him and got him off of her.

Sam and Embry saw him grab me and lunged for him. He squeezed me HARD, damn!, and threw me down when the guys latched onto him.

I bounced off that big boulder and hit the ground. Everything down my left side was screaming. Eddie said Carlisle would fix me and

Bella was right there by my side. I heard her, I know she was there. Man, now I've got a headache trying to straighten all this crap out.

My head is pounding. Vamp must have smacked me upside my head too. I guess all I can do is relax till everything gets lined up and I can

remember what I forgot. Hah, that's one way to put it. I need to see what condition my condition's in. Oh please. Get real. At least my other

parts aren't caved in like they were before. Let's see, broken arm, broken leg, ribs, check, check and check. Started healing too fast I'll bet

and Dr. Fang had to re-break stuff to line it up like it was supposed to be. I think I really like morphine. MORPHINE! That's what this is!

I'm still high and my eyeballs are still rolled back in my head. That stuff must affect your hearing along with everything else.

It's kind of nice, the peace and quiet, but I think I miss all the sounds of my life. You know, the nature stuff when I'm with the pack,

the wind blowing and all the other critters in the forest, Yogi and Boo Boo and Bullwinkle and Rocky. Oh man, I LOVE MORPHINE!

But, yeah, I miss the other sounds. I think I'd really like to hear Bella's voice about now.

If I'm still drugged up, I bet Dad hasn't let anyone in to see me. He needs his rest, he'll say. Well, yeah, maybe,

I guess I am a little tired. Maybe I'll just snooze for a while and talk to everyone later.

BPOV

I can't believe that phone conversation. Did my Dad just tell me he's cool with me staying here with Jacob? I'm losing my mind now.

Oh wait, yeah, I already lost it, I forgot. I got hit between the eyes with a little thing called reality. I saw my future spread out

before me like a gigantic map showing a brown path meandering along in various directions and coming to a fork. Both paths stretching

into infinity, as far as I could see. One side was red and gold and was an arrow shot completely out of sight in a perfectly straight line. The other

was green and blue and twists and turns and swirls and loop-de-loops and finally travels out of sight. And it's taken me two damn

years to figure out what that map was trying to tell me. The two paths are Edward and Jacob. That's the easy part. What I've been too

stupid to realize until now is why they're so different. Red and gold. My eyes as a newborn and Edwards eyes as they are now. But the

important tidbit is the path not the colors. Straight as an arrow, moving to infinity. No side trips, no detours, no stops, all boundaries, NO EXITS.

The other path I finally saw when I saw Jacob after Carlisle had worked on him. He looked so tired and beaten in his little bed.

The braces to help him keep still till the bones knitted back in the proper arrangement. Carlisle told me that casts were not only

useless but dangerous. Jacob could conceivably re-injure himself by breaking through the casts. He was trying to be good, trying

not to move around. I tried to stop him when he pulled me beside him. Even hurt and drugged he was still way too strong for me.

When he asked me if I was scared, about being changed, that's when it hit me. That vision I saw when we kissed on the mountaintop

was the other path. It was green like the forest, and blue like the ocean and sky. It changed directions, meandered, took in all there

was to see, to be. There were no boundaries, no walls, no rules save one,...to love and be loved.

That was how you made a life for yourself, with someone you loved, someone who loved you, by your side. Not in front of you,

protecting you but blocking your sight at the same time. Not behind you, able to hide from you when you needed to see them.

Beside you. Equal. Side by side, together. That's what life is supposed to be and my God it took me so long, and possibly losing

the best partner I could ever hope to find, to get it through my thick skull. Easy as breathing he had said. He meant it. He was right.

And then suddenly, his voice had faltered, his breathing went shallow and jerky. His eyes seemed to lose focus and he was looking at me,

and then he wasn't. Jacob! No! I had leapt from the bed, screaming for Billy or Carlisle, anybody. I actually had the presence of mind

to check for a pulse and listen to his breathing. It wasn't easy. He was struggling. With Billy's help, I managed to pry Jacob's mouth

open and grab his tongue and unblock his windpipe. We turned his head and propped it with the pillow to keep it clear, as much as

we could do without moving him. We still couldn't take him to the hospital, they would never have understood his rapid healing,

not to mention his body temperature. Carlisle made it back to the little house in record time. He re-examined Jacob and determined

that the bump on his head that he sustained when he hit that big rock, must have weakened a blood vessel in his skull. There was a

hairline fracture in the bone that was already mostly healed, but Carlisle said the blood vessel ruptured afterward. He could see blood

collected behind Jacob's eyes. He explained that Jacob's brain had shut down all unnecessary systems until it righted itself. Basically,

Jacob's brain had put him into a coma till his rapid healing could handle the new problem inside his head.

I staggered backward till my legs hit the sofa in the living room and I plopped down hard onto the cushions. These were the same cushions

that I had slept on after my idiotic leap from the cliff when Jacob had had to jump into the ocean to save me, from myself basically. Jacob

had slept on the floor while we waited for Billy and Charlie to bring us word about Harry Clearwater. Jacob had stayed right by my side as

exhausted and worried as he was. I finally saw what a selfish fool I had been. I saw what I had to do, what I needed to do. I listened to my

heart, but I also listened to my future that had been yelling at me but being ignored for far too long. Carlisle said he had no way to tell how

long Jacob would be "gone" but that he would get better with time. I knew that I would too and

I knew exactly where I would be as that transformation took place.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: I own nothing related to the Twilight Saga. All belongs to Stephenie Meyer. No Copyright Infringement is intended. The plot deviation is my baby. My first fic...please review and thank you for the ones I've already received. I was like a kid on Christmas morning when they popped up! By His Side Chapter Three

JPOV

This has to be the craziest freaking dream I've ever had! I must be so drugged up. I can't move, I can't see, I can't hear,  
I can't speak. But...I'm here. I can feel...me. Some of me still twinges a little with pain. Thank God though, not very often  
and not nearly as sharp as it was. I can't get a grip on time either. What day is it? What time is it? How long has it been  
since Bella came to see me after the battle with the newborns? She looked so tired and frightened and sad. I wanted to hold  
her in my arms so damn bad! But I couldn't. Part of me was busted up and all of me was high. I could only feast my weary  
eyes on her sweet face with those precious pink lips and those big cocoa eyes. She shed tears over me with those eyes. She  
kissed me with those lips. BELLA KISSED ME! Oh Yeah! That's what I'm talkin' 'bout! Been there! Done that! Got the T-shirt!

The heat pulsing through my body was on overdrive at the thought of that kiss. I could definitely feel that. Heat. My heat.  
Bella's heat. God, I loved that little girl! I was going to make her mine if it was the last thing...no wait, not the last thing,  
there were lots of other things I wanted to do AFTER I made her MINE! And I was going to make it happen, even if I had to  
break down and EAT Edward Cullen. Blech! That taste in my mouth would NEVER go away! But I'd do it for Bells.  
Hand me a toothpick, would ya, baby?

On that mountaintop, I had my greatest success. Bella finally understood what I had been trying to tell her for so long.  
I loved her, AND she loved me! She got it. She felt it. I knew it. I felt it. I am definitely missing her right about now. I just  
need to hear her voice. Damn. I am so tired.

BPOV

It's been three days. Jacob is still "away" and I don't know how much more I can stand. I can't bring myself to leave his room.  
I have to be here when he wakes up. I'll just sit here on the floor by his bed. I can rest my head right next to him. I can sleep  
with his hand in mine. I have to be the first thing he sees when he opens his beautiful dark eyes again. I have so much to tell him.  
Yes, Jacob, I love you. No Jacob, I will never leave you. Yes, Jacob, I mean forever. I'm yours. You're mine. We will always be  
together. I promise.

"Jacob? Carlisle said it might help if I talked to you out loud. So that's what I'll do, okay? I'm not going anywhere, baby. I'm  
waiting for you to come back to me. I'm right here. You need to come back, Jake. I know you must be so hungry by now. I'll cook  
anything you want, just say the word. You can chain me to the stove and I'll slave away and prepare you a spread like you've  
never seen. And nobody gets to eat anything until you've had first crack at every dish. You get dibs, they'll take sloppy seconds. But  
you have to come back to me Jake. I'm right here. Waiting."

"Jacob? Can you hear me, baby? Please talk to me. Here...Jake, here's my hand, in your right hand, just give it a little squeeze  
for me, okay? I know you're tired and sore. Your bones are almost completely knitted back like they're supposed to be. Carlisle  
did a great job, didn't he? I saw your eyelid twitch a while ago. And I think the corner of your mouth may have moved just a tiny bit.  
I miss your smile, Jake. I really need to see it soon. You've been so over-heated; you're sweating up a storm. I've brought a cloth  
and some cool water. That's what this is on your face and neck and shoulders. I'll just wipe you down whenever you get too warm.  
I'll read some more to you in a bit. I'm sorry the reading material has been lacking and not to your taste. The only book I had with  
me was "Jane Eyre" and I know you don't really believe the hero in that story is named Jacob, but I just did a little on-the-fly editing.  
I'm well aware that 19th century English romance is not your...umm...cup of tea?" "Quil and Embry have been here a lot. They've  
agreed to bring some auto and mechanic magazines and I'll read all of those to you. Seth wanted to join in if they brought the girly  
magazines from the garage. I'm not sure about those. If I figure out how to describe the pictures to you, I suppose I could lock the  
door to your room so nobody would see me turn eight shades of red. I'll definitely read the articles to you. Isn't that why you guys  
bought them? I know you don't really look at all those women, do you? Not that I'm jealous or anything."

"Jacob? Charlie's here, baby. Sue is here, too. Billy's been here the whole time. Everybody has stopped by to see you. We all want  
you to come back to us. We miss you. We love you Jacob."

"Hey Jake! Look at this, we've worked to see how many Pack members can fit in your room at one time. You must see them! They're  
all bunched up so lovey and dovey. There've been a few toes stepped on. It's just like dancing with me! Check it out! Oh yeah,  
and Emily's in here too...somewhere."

"Oh what's that? Hey Jacob, that's my cell phone. I'm just going to step out in the hall to take this, okay? I'll be right back. I promise. I love you."

"Hey Charlie, what's up? No there hasn't been any change to speak of. He's still running a fever now and then. Yeah, Dad, I know  
motorcycles are a menace to society and I'm sure Jacob will think twice before he gets on one again. What? Edward came by the  
house? Why? When? No, I still haven't talked to him just yet. Oh, he did, huh? Thought I would be home by now. Okay, Dad, I'll tell  
him, soon. Just as soon as I figure out exactly what I need to say to him. Okay, yeah I call you. Love you, too, Dad."

The second I hung up on Charlie, my phone started buzzing again.

"Hey Alice. What's going on? _ Edward? Why are you using Alice's phone? Well, of course I would have answered if the I.D. said  
it was you, what's wrong with you? What's wrong with me? Nothing's wrong with me? What makes you say that? Yes, Edward, I know  
exactly how long I've been here at the Black's house. Edward, I am not avoiding you, you know very well Jacob is very sick and I owe  
him my presence and my loyalty at a time like this. Edward, Jacob fought alongside you and your family against vicious newborns to  
protect me and he was injured in the process, that's why. How could you say that? Well, I'm sure Carlisle told you what his condition  
is and I'm sure you're well aware that Billy can only do so much and I intend to stay here and help him as long as he needs  
me. Okaaayy, as long as JACOB needs me. No I can't come over there Edward. Don't be ridiculous, no you cannot come here! I have  
to go now Edward, I'll call you when I can. Later, I don't know. Goodbye Edward."

JPOV

Hey! Hey! Hey! You guys wanna hold it down a little bit; a wolf's tryin' to get a little shuteye up in here. Damn! What a noisy bunch  
of canine yahoos! Wait a minute. Was that some more dream? I heard something. I can hear something! Hey! I'm over here! I can  
hear you guys! I wish you'd all try speaking English. Say Embry, when did you learn Swahili? Where are you guys? Hey, Hey Paul, step  
over here and say that to my face sucker! Rachel would never in a million years. I know my sister better than that. What? Are  
you chicken?

Aww man, step aside everybody, I know that voice. That's my sweet Bella! Hey Bells, honey. Where've you been? I've been  
missing you A LOT! Hey Bells? Over here, honey. Humph, she can't hear me I guess. Maybe she's got her head together with  
Emily. I hear her in here...somewhere. Wow! Is the whole Pack in here? The floor's gonna collapse! Out! Out! Everybody out! I  
need some quality alone-time with my girl, folks. Thank you for coming, last call, you don't have to go home, but ya can't stay  
here! See ya on the flip side! It's been real! Heeey, I can smell her. Bella's gettin' close! Oh yeah, man, vanilla, lavender,  
strawberries. That's my girl. I don't see her but I know she's in the neighborhood.

Hey Bells. I love you too, honey. I've missed you too, baby. Bells? Where are you? You don't have to hide from me honey. Don't  
be shy. Come back to you? I'm right here baby. I'm here with you. Right now. Right here. Bells, why can't you hear me honey? Bells? Bella?

BPOV

"Jacob, I need to talk to you about something important baby. You need to come back and talk to me. I'm going to need to go  
talk to Edward soon. I have to tell him about my decision and I just can't do that over the phone, you understand that, don't  
you? I don't want you to worry about me while I'm gone, Jake. I won't be long, I promise. I'll be back here so fast, you won't  
have time to miss me. I love you, Jacob."


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Thank you to all the readers and reviewers...I can't tell you how much I appreciate your kind words and encouragement. Please keep 'em coming! Thanks, also to the folks who clicked on Favorites/Alerts. Thanks to Lauren 3638, Dottyanne, dreamertotheend, 1241070, nikotenshihime and angrymommawolf. Special thanks to HelenT and Meeksmonk, you're the best!

By His Side

Chapter 4

Day 5

JPOV

"This is getting old in a hurry. I can hear some voices, sometimes, but I can't make out what they're saying, or who it is. Right now, I think I can see a dim glow growing around me. What the hell is that? I think I can feel my arms and legs, sort of. I know something is changing in these crazy dreams. I guess the drugs are starting to wear off. Maybe I'll hear from Bella soon. Man, I sure do miss her."

BPOV

"Jacob? Are you with me baby? It's a beautiful day outside. You must open your eyes and come see it. Carlisle is coming today, to check on you. You want to show him some progress, right? You want to be sitting up, smiling, chatting, eating, feeling great, don't forget eating, when he comes in. I know you do. I'll be right here all the time, Jake. I'm not going anywhere, I promise."

Bella was on her knees next to Jacob's bed, as he lay still, much too still. She had practically rooted herself to this spot. She almost never let go of his hand. She almost never took her eyes off of him. Either Billy or Rachel replenished the cloth and water she used to gently wipe down his body when his fever would threaten to spike. Carlisle said he believed 112 would be an absolute limit to what his body could tolerate and Bella was damn well going to make certain that it never reached that level.

Jacob had come too close to giving his life to protect Bella. How could she leave him now? She only wanted to see his deep and soulful eyes once again. She only wanted to see his incandescent smile again. She only wanted to hear him say that, yes; he would love her till the end of time. Hell, she only wanted to hear him say anything. He had to come out of this soon, didn't he? She was out of tears. She was reverting back to her zombie status, for a completely different reason this time. Did Jacob know that the hole in her chest would rip open again if HE left her? She could only wait, hold his hand, stroke his skin and fervently pray that he understood that he held her heart in his hand. If she lost Jake, she would lose herself, no question about it.

They all tried. Billy, Rachel, Charlie, Sam, Emily, Carlisle. She wouldn't eat. She only slept for short periods, and always with Jacob's hand clasped tightly in hers, and her head on the mattress next to his arm, with her cheek against his skin. She had to be able to feel him. Sometimes, Rachel would quietly tiptoe to the door and peek in at them. Bella might be reading to him, or just babbling away about anything and nothing, or gently laying her head on Jacob's chest. The first time Rachel saw her do that she was afraid that something had changed for the worse. Bella looked down at Jacob's face, brushed her fingertips across his cheek and said that she just wanted to listen to Jake's heartbeat. She just needed the reassurance. She said it calmed her soul. They all knew she was eventually going to collapse. She was making herself sick, waiting and worrying. Nobody had the heart to try to force her to leave him.

JPOV

"Okay, I think I'm tired of this now. I still can't see where I am. I still can't hear much of anything and I still can't move. Enough is enough. I need to see my girl and my brothers and my family. I need this to end, now."

BPOV

"Jacob? Please come back to me. I can't stand it if you don't come back, now. I need you, Jake. The Pack and your family need you. We all miss you. We all love you."

Bella squeezed Jacob's hand. She gently pushed some of his hair away from his eyes. She knew that he was coming closer to her. She could feel it. She was trying to will him to open his eyes and let her see the sparkle she remembered. She brushed her lips softly across his cheek.

There was an audible intake of breath behind her. She lifted her gaze and Carlisle stood in the doorway to Jacob's bedroom. Immediately behind him stood Edward, his expression one of shock and the black fury in his eyes made Bella's blood run cold. He said nothing but took one step into the room as Carlisle moved forward and knelt down by the bed.

Edward was furious. She wasn't surprised by his anger, but she didn't expect it to be so blatant with witnesses around. Bella couldn't drag her eyes away from Edward's. She couldn't get her mouth to work, nor could she have supplied any air to form any words. They stared at one another, communicating with emotions only. This moment could have waited for years as far as Bella was concerned. She wasn't prepared for this confrontation.

Finally Edward composed his features and questioned her in a low voice. "Bella, what are you doing?" It was an incredibly simple and straightforward question which normally would elicit a simple, straightforward answer. Bella swallowed hard a couple of times and steeled herself. This was the bullet she had to bite. She needed more practice, but that time was gone. Best to get it done firmly and as quickly as possible.

"Love, I think maybe we should have a little talk, don't you?" Edward held his hand out toward her and she cringed. There was no way around it. This would have to be the moment she had been dreading, and there was never going to be a good time, so it might as well be now. She looked back to Jacob, leaned over and placed a gentle kiss on his forehead before standing and slipping past Carlisle to the hallway. Billy and Rachel had apparently decided to visit the front porch for some air and even though the Doctor was attending to Jacob, they would have to be much further away than Bella was willing to go to have any privacy from him.

Bella led Edward to the kitchen and motioned for him to sit at the table. He sat and laid his hands on the table in front of him, palms down like he would be making his point very firmly.

"Bella, I don't know what has happened to you, I know you feel loyalty toward Jacob and his contribution in the fight, but you can't stay here any longer. Look at yourself; do you have any idea what you're doing to your health with this behavior? I insist you come home with Carlisle and me and let us take care of you, get you cleaned up. We have a wedding to plan with Alice, or had you forgotten?"

Bella looked long and hard at Edward from across the table. This wasn't going to be pretty.

"Edward, this may be one of the hardest things I will ever do in my life, but please, you must listen to me. When I came to see Jacob after Carlisle had reset his bones, we were just talking in his room. When he lost consciousness and I thought he was going to die right there in front of me, I nearly lost it. I know this will sound ridiculous and melodramatic, but my heart veritably turned over in my chest. I saw my life, my future, without Jacob in it. Edward, I will always love you. You were my first love. But I can no longer promise you the rest of my life. Please forgive me, I know you feel like I have led you on, I never meant to do that. I've been confused, unsure of myself, and just plain stupid. While we were apart, my heart began to move in a different direction, even though I denied it to myself for a long time. When we returned from Italy, I was so glad you were safe and had returned to me. But I have finally realized that my heart has been repaired. And I now understand that I must make myself happy before I can make anyone else happy. The only way I can be happy, Edward, is to remain at the side of the person who made those repairs to my heart. That is Jacob. I'm sorry, Edward. Please tell Alice and the others how sorry I am. But I cannot go with you, now or ever."

She reached into her pocket and took out Edward's mother's ring. She stood as Edward rose and held it out to him. Placing it in his hand, she grasped his hand in hers.

"I beg you to understand and not try to change my mind. Can you do that for me, Edward? Can you let me go in peace without making it harder than it has to be?"

He gazed at her for a long minute, sorrow etching his features.

"Bella, I don't know if I can move on without you. I never thought anything like this would happen. I thought your love for me was as all-consuming as my love for you. But if you are certain this is what you want, I will attempt to honor your wishes. I will love you always. I will watch over you and will be around if you ever need me. Please forgive me, this is hard. You probably won't hear from me for quite a while, though I don't suppose that you will notice, will you?"

Bella stared into his golden eyes. She felt the tears begin to slip down her cheeks.

"Edward, I will always have a place for you in my heart. I simply have to give my future to someone else. I understand if you need to put some time and space between us. But never think that I will just forget you out of hand. I hope you won't think I am that cold-hearted." She kissed his cheek softly.

She turned and headed back down the hall to Jacob's room. Edward followed close behind her in spite of himself, knowing she didn't want him to linger near her. He couldn't help it. He just needed a few more moments with her before he had to steel himself and retreat back to his lonely existence.

Carlisle was just coming out of Jacob's room. He smiled at Bella as she nodded to him and returned to Jacob's bedside. She knelt down and took Jacob's hand again, and then she looked back to Carlisle.

"Has anything changed? What can you tell me, Carlisle?"

"I don't know what to tell you, Bella," Carlisle sighed heavily. "There is no medical reason for Jacob not to wake up. As far as I can tell, every bone has completely healed, most of the bruising is gone and the blood vessel in his brain is back to normal. His body is back to 100 percent, but his mind is not yet ready to come back. I can't do anything else for him and I can't predict what timeline he's on. Only his own mind knows that."

Bella looked back down at the still figure on the bed. She stroked her fingers across his cheek. "Jacob, you must come back to me. I will wait for you as long as is necessary, but you're scaring me, Jake." She sucked in a ragged breath and closed her eyes. "Dammit, Jake, wake up!"

There was silence.

There was a moan.

The hand Bella held in her own suddenly gripped hers with such force her eyes flew open and she cried out in pain. Her cry drew his attention.

Jacob's eyes opened and stared into Bella's. He could barely whisper, "Bella?"

As she looked into Jacob's face, relief overflowed her heart and she was unable to stop the tears. Jacob looked into Bella's eyes as if he had not seen her in years and his heart and his soul reached out to her and embraced her tightly. Tears began to seep slowly from the corners of his eyes as Bella lifted the hand she had grasped in her own and pressed it to her lips. Jacob lifted his other hand and placed it to her cheek in a feather-soft caress. The tender moment stretched on as they fell into each other's very essence and bound themselves firmly together.

Bella fell into Jacob's arms. Jacob grabbed her face and lifted it so he could see into her eyes again. He wanted to be sure. Had that really just happened? After all this time? What could his wolf have seen, have known, that he didn't?

There was a gasp at the doorway and Jacob looked to see Edward glaring at them with black, raging eyes. Jacob wrapped his arms around Bella's waist as Edward shoved Carlisle aside and lunged at Bella.

Edward gripped Bella's arms and lifted her off the floor trying to separate her from Jacob's hold. Jacob tightened his embrace.

"Oh, I don't think so leech!" He growled.

Edward snarled and, refusing to back down, began to pull on Bella. "Let go of her, dog!"

Bella screamed.

The next 6 seconds were a blur for everyone in the house. Edward tightened his hold on Bella's arms and dashed out the back door of the house. Only when he got several hundred yards into the forest did he stop, and only then because he realized that he had flown into the woods with Bella AND Jacob.

Jacob had a death grip on Bella's waist and obviously had no intention of releasing her.

"I saw that, mongrel. I felt it in your mind. You've performed your filthy imprinting ritual on her and I absolutely will not allow that!"

Jacob laughed in his face. "Oh, yeah! Like I needed to ask your permission to fall in love with Bella, or imprint on her, or anything else for that matter!"

"At this moment in time," Bella seethed, "if the two of you don't stop arguing and PUT ME DOWN, I will spontaneously combust from rage and take both of you to the fiery pits of hell with me!"


	5. Chapter 5

By His Side

Chapter 5

Bella stared into Jacob's eyes. Jacob stared into Bella's. 'Do you trust me?' Bella

tried to make the question form in Jacob's head. He heard and wordlessly answered

her query. 'Yes.' Bella began to slowly turn in Jacob's arms.

"Edward, release me now. I'll not ask you a second time."

"Love, I can't do that. Don't you understand what this mutt has

planned for you now? I simply will not stand idly by and allow him

to sully you in that fashion. You cannot ask me to do that."

"Edward, do not for one moment think that you are in a position to dictate

any decision I make in my own life now. We had an understanding in the

kitchen earlier and I expect you to adhere to my wishes that you leave

in peace. Don't force me to request your removal from the area. And do not

underestimate my ability to have that request fulfilled by The Pack. I know where

my loyalty belongs and there it shall stay. Don't make this more unpleasant

than it already is. I'm trying to be calm and allow you to end this properly."

Jacob and Bella never broke eye contact during this entire speech. When she

mentioned requesting Edward's 'removal' by The Pack, Jacob fought like a

demon to keep the corners of his mouth from twitching up into an evil grin. When

Bella declared her loyalty for him and his brothers and sister, he understood

exactly what she was leaving unspoken. She loved him and she intended to stay

with him. Her eyes bore into his attempting to relay all of the added information

she had yet to have the opportunity to share with him. Their connection was complete.

He didn't understand why he would imprint on her only now.

He had loved her for most of his life. From mud pies to a kiss on a mountaintop, she

had lived in his heart. His hopes and dreams were rooted in her existence. Why his

wolf had decided, today, that more of a stamp of approval was needed to bring them

together, was a mystery they'd figure out later, together. Jacob hoped that Bella could

hear in her heart all of these feelings he was trying to convey to her silently. He gave her

the tiniest of nods to let her know he was with her in whatever way she wanted to

handle this situation.

Fortunately, reinforcements arrived.

In the blink of an eye, the three of them were no longer alone in the woods.

Carlisle materialized behind Edward. Five wolves had somehow silently joined

them as well. Quil, Embry, Paul, Leah and Seth formed a semicircle behind Jacob.

The low warning rumbles made the ground tremble. Carlisle placed a hand on Edward's shoulder.

"Son, don't do this, please. Think of your family. We would all be devastated if anything

happened to you. Bella doesn't want this either. Honor her wishes, please."

Without releasing her grip on Jacob, Bella attempted to look over her shoulder at

Edward. When she broke eye contact with him, Jacob suddenly lost his attempt

at holding his tongue, although his voice remained low, calm and ominous.

"You are severely outnumbered, bloodsucker. Even with the Doc here, and I

really don't want to join my pack in hurting him, there are two of you, six of

us. I've done the math for you. If you remove your hands from MY GIRL, I will

have Quil and Embry escort the two of you back to the Doc's car, and you can

leave our land in peace and never return. I am willing to do this only because

of Bella. She is literally the only thing that stands between you and annihilation.

I strongly recommend that you heed your father's advice. Carlisle, can you

accept these terms and take responsibility for him?" The soft-spoken vampire let

out an unnecessary sigh.

"Of course, Jacob, I understand. I thank you for your restraint. And I thank

you Bella for your surprising negotiation skills. Edward, you must release her, now. Please."

Edward looked around wildly. He glanced at each wolf in turn, at Jacob's serious face,

at Bella's profile as she still twisted her head around in an attempt to see him

without making any sudden movements. After what seemed like an eternity to Bella,

Edward slowly eased his hands from her arms and backed away from her with his

palms up in surrender. He stared at Bella for a moment longer with tortured sadness in his eyes.

"Bella, I simply can't believe you're ending it this way."

She finally completed her turn toward him, but also moved solidly against

Jacob's side, her arm firmly around his waist. She returned his gaze with

what she hoped was an expression of sympathy and compassion, even though

she was still filled with anger at his behavior.

"Edward, I never wanted it to end like this. I'm sorry you forced us into this

situation, but my choice will never alter. Try to accept it, please. Goodbye, Edward."

She turned into Jacob and laid her head on his chest as she let out a ragged breath.

His arms encircled her protectively as he drew himself to his full height and squared his

shoulders. Edward slumped until he appeared to have aged 100 years in five minutes.

He leaned against Carlisle and they headed slowly back toward the little faded red house,

and Carlisle's car. Jacob nodded at Quil and Embry as they trailed the two vampires

closely. When their view of the departing group was lost in the tree-cover, Seth, Leah

and Paul huffed in their direction and turned, disappearing deeper into the forest.

Bella and Jacob were both still shaking, she from fear and anger, he from anger and

shock. Bella lifted her head as Jacob's hand came up to caress her face and rub her

cheek with his thumb.

"Is this real? Or am I still drugged out of my mind and trapped in that

no-man's land inside my head?" Bella couldn't help but laugh softly

.

"I'm not entirely certain, Jacob, but this..." she placed her hand

firmly on his chest and pushed, "feels awfully real to me."

Now, it was Jacob's turn to chuckle. He closed his eyes and lowered his head

as he urged Bella's face up to his and pressed his lips firmly to hers. They held

each other in this passionate embrace until the sounds of the forest

began to blur into a distant buzzing in their ears. Finally, Jacob lifted just

a bit, and met Bella's eyes opening to him.

"I just had to check to make sure. I hope you don't mind."

Bella lifted up on her toes and touched his face gently to bring him back to her.

"Not at all," she sighed, "not at all."

They stood together in that blissful embrace for more than an hour, soaking up the

joy of reaffirming their love and their bond. Finally, Bella felt the need to explore

the events that led them to this moment.

"Jacob, I don't think I have ever been so frightened. Waiting for you to come

back to me after you fell unconscious; I thought I had lost you. I couldn't have

survived without you, you know that don't you? Promise me, you'll never leave me,

please promise me." Hot tears were slipping down her cheeks now.

Jacob held her to him as if his life depended on her breathing. It did.

"Bells, I don't know where I was while you were waiting, but I wanted nothing

more than to find my way back to you. At first I thought it was just the drugs

Doctor Fang had given me. But it was so strange, there were times when I could

hear you, but I couldn't tell what you saying. There were times when I could smell

you, but I couldn't see you. It got so frustrating, I was getting pretty pissed off that

I couldn't find you, because I knew you were there with me, by my side. And then,

when I finally did find you, right there next to me, my wolf reached out and grabbed

you before I realized what was happening."

Bella smiled softly, buried her face in his chest and breathed in the cleansing fragrance that was uniquely Jacob.

"Yeah, that was quite a surprise wasn't it? I suppose I don't have to worry about promising

to be your girlfriend and then losing you to another down the road, huh?"

"You can absolutely never worry about that, honey. WE are now a done deal and

there's only one direction for us to go, that's forward, and one way to get there

and that's together."

"Hmmmm."

"Of course, we will baby. Anytime you want." Bella looked up at him questioningly.

"I didn't say anything." Jacob looked back down at her, puzzled.

"No, I mean yes we can go, anytime."

"Go where, Jake?" He looked a little exasperated now.

"You said you would love to go walk along First Beach and stop at our driftwood tree."

"No, I didn't babe."

"Sure you did, Bells. I heard you."

"Jake, seriously, I didn't say that. I didn't say anything. I just hmmmed."

Jacob opened his mouth to continue his assertion that she had spoken those words to him,

but closed it again when he realized, 'wait a minute, I didn't HEAR her say that,

I FELT her say that.'

A/N: Please forgive the delay in posting. I'm a bit of a Bella-type klutz and I was out of

commission for a few days. LOOOONG story. Thank you to readers, favoriters, alerters and

reviewers. You are all 'wondermous' and make my world go 'round.


	6. Chapter 6

By His Side

Chapter Six

Jacob gazed long and hard into Bella's eyes.

_ "Let's test this. Can you feel me?"_

She stared back at him, dumbfounded.

_"I don't believe it!"_

He laughed out loud and grabbed her up in a bear-hug, swinging her around.

_"Wait right here. Don't move. Don't say anything out loud."_

She nodded mutely. Jacob released her from his grip and lit off deeper into the forest.  
Soon he was completely out of sight. Bella fought like a demon to stop the tremble that  
began in her stomach.

_"Jacob to Bella, Honey, have you got me?"_

She gasped sharply, and turned her attention within.

_"This is amazing. Jake, what's happening?"_

_"You got me, Baby. Hang on a second."_

There was a moment of silence. There was another moment, too quiet. Bella couldn't  
stand it any longer and called out loud beginning to succumb to her nervousness.

"Jacob! Where are you?"

_"I'm right here, Honey. Don't panic. It looks like this only works when I'm human. I phased and you couldn't hear me. Well, damn!"_

_"Please come back now, Jake. I need you."_

He was back in front of her in the blink of an eye. He slipped his arms around her again  
and spoke to her, his lips pressed hotly against her ear.

"I need you, too, Bells. I've needed you for a very long time. I'm so happy you're  
finally here to stay. You are, right? You're with me?"

She shivered at the tickle his voice made in her ear. Her hands rested on his strong chest.

"I'm here Jake. I'm here with you, from now on. Is that ok?"

"You're kidding, right? It's way more than okay."

He leaned down to her again and softly brushed his lips across her cheek. His deep sigh and  
the contented rumble in his chest vibrated against Bella's hands. She turned her face inward  
and placed a soft, wet kiss over his heart. He sucked in a deep breath.

"Oh, Bells! You really want to make it tough on the invalid don't you?"

"Not in the least. I've waited a long time to do that while you're awake, I just couldn't stand to pass up the opportunity."

"You really stayed with me? The whole time I was 'gone' you were there?"

"I was. I couldn't bear to leave you, not after you almost left me permanently. Don't  
ever do that to me again, Jake. There's no way I could survive another scare like that."

"I'm sorry, baby. You know I would never leave you on purpose. And now that you've  
chosen me over the le_, uh, Edward, I can guarantee we'll never be apart, not on my watch."

"We'd better get back to the house and call Charlie. We're going to need to have a discussion  
with him and Billy. They'll need to know that you and I will be spending most of our time  
together from now on, don't you think?"

Jacob grinned down at her and gave her another rib-mashing squeeze.

"So you think there's safety in numbers, huh? We'll get them together and then double-team them?"

She giggled at the picture.

"If you think about it for a moment, they'll probably be happy with the relationship, but  
probably NOT the undivided attention. They're going to feel left out in the cold, I think."

"Yeah, you've got a point. But, first things first, I've got to get the rest of the pack here  
so we can discuss this telepathy thing we've got going. Billy will probably want to inform  
the elders, too. This isn't something we've ever encountered, I don't think."

He grabbed her hand and began to lead her deeper into woods. He brought her finally to a  
small clearing, kissed her on the cheek quickly, and stepped behind a huge fir tree. Bella  
giggled when his shorts came flying through the air from behind the tree, and the huge russet  
wolf stepped out into the clearing and came up beside her. His big, furry head bent down and  
gave her a playful nudge to the shoulder prompting her to sink her fingers into the fur on  
either side of his muzzle. She placed a soft kiss on his big, wet nose, and then wiped her mouth  
on her sleeve, eliciting a barky laugh from her beast. Reaching up to gently pull one of his ears,  
she leaned against his withers, producing a low, satisfied rumble in his throat.

In less than three minutes, an impressive collection of supersized wolves bounded out of the  
trees to join them.

_"What's the deal, Jake? Where's the fire?"_

Sam took the lead in the questioning.

_"It's a pretty big deal, Sam. First, everyone knows I imprinted on Bella this morning, right?"_

There was a general chorus of _'yeah!'_ and_ 'all right! Bout time!'_

Of course Leah had to chime in, _"I can't believe THAT'S the first thing you had to do when you finally woke up!"_

_"Sorry, Leah, can't help what destiny has waiting for us!"_

Jacob seemed just a little too changed in his opinion about imprinting for Leah's taste. She could  
only blow out a wolfy 'razzberry' at him.

_"Yeah, Leah, okay, I hear ya. But here's the new 411. Bella and I can hear each other, in our_  
_heads, like all of us when we're phased!"_

This woke up Quil in a hurry.

_"Get out! Hey Bella, Baby! Now I can whisper in your ear while Jake's otherwise occupied. Oooh, honey!"_

Jacob snarled a warning in Quil's direction.

_"Back off, Ateara! She's mine now, dude. Besides, we can only hear each other when I'm human,_  
_not in wolf form."_

Sam stood stunned and lost in thought for some time. Finally, he stepped into the tree cover and  
walked out in a moment on two legs. He cautiously approached Jacob and Bella, nodding respectfully  
to show Jacob he meant no aggression toward his imprint, and looked hard into Bella's eyes. She  
stared back at him, not sure of what he was thinking. The moment dragged out with no recognition  
between them. Sam shook his head and looked to Jacob, shrugging his shoulders. After slipping back  
behind the tree line, the big, black wolf returned to the group.

_"Nothing there between Bella and me. Probably means it's only you, Jacob. I would say it's obviously_  
_somehow connected to the imprint but since there's no record of something like this between other_  
_wolves and their imprints, it also probably hinges on your true Alpha bloodline."_

Several of the Pack let out a low mental whistle. This was getting freakier by the day. The knowledge base  
in the histories was severely lacking about imprinting and its purposes and side effects.

_"We're headed back to the house to tell Billy._** Can you get with the elders, Sam?"**

Even though it was just a simple request, there was that extra emphasis that came along with  
the words. Sam and every other wolf in the clearing stumbled back and looked fearfully at Jacob,  
completely in shock. Jacob's face said he was more than taken aback as well. Bella moved  
closer to Jake's side and gathered a handful of fur into her small hand. Embry was the first  
one able to find his 'voice.'

_"Holy mother of...! Jake! What the hell was that?"_

_"Hell, I don't know Em! I didn't do anything! It was just a question, Sam! Honest!"_

The black wolf took a step toward the russet beast, then another. He moved closer, one step at  
a time. When there were only a few yards between them, the air between Sam and Jacob  
began to hum and vibrate. Bella could see what looked like heat waves rising off of Jacob and  
flowing toward Sam.

**"What do you think you're doing, Sam?"**

The Pack's current Alpha went to his knees in front of Jacob. There was shock, fear and yet,  
awe in his eyes as he struggled to lift his head. The strain was evident in his thoughts, but  
there was also relief.

_"I think maybe I'm kneeling to greet my new Alpha, Jake. I never had any idea it would manifest_  
_itself this soon or this easily, not to mention this forcefully. But I knew it would happen._  
_Step up and claim your birthright, Jacob. It's always been yours anyway, just waiting until your_  
_wolf was ready. I'm proud to stand down for you."_

The other wolves each in turn lowered their head toward Jacob. At first, he took a step back as  
the implications hit him with force. Then almost involuntarily, he drew himself to his full height.  
Bella looked up at the massive animal whose fur she was tugging. He was bigger now than he  
had been when she had first grasped his mane. Her mouth simply dropped open in amazement  
as she scanned around the clearing at the rest of the Pack. She didn't have to ask Jacob or be  
privy to his thoughts to see with her own eyes what was happening. She was the imprint of the  
new and rightful Alpha of the La Push Wolf Pack.

A/N: Thank you readers, reviewers, alerters, favoriters. I love you all. You warm my heart and  
my keyboard. Please let me hear from you some more.  
All my best,  
mama


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Thanks to everyone who has read this story so far. Please forgive the slow update. I'll do better, I promise. Please review when you can. I await your opinions with baited breath. I own nothing related to Twilight. All belongs to Stephenie Meyer. Darn it.

By His Side

Chapter Seven

The Tribal Council of Elders were most interested in the events that had occurred within the ranks of the La Push Wolfpack. The new developments between the new Alpha and his imprint were of the utmost interest to the Quileute leaders. Unfortunately, the item that generated the most attention as well as the greatest controversy was the ethnic background, or lack thereof, and the intimate connection with the Cold Ones of the aforementioned imprint. Jacob was furious.

"They have to be out of their freaking minds! If they think that for one minute that Bella's ancestors have anything to do with the type of person she is, well,...they're all idiots! And then to even hint that her relationship with the Cullens makes her 'unsuitable imprint material' makes anything they might recommend absolutely ridiculous!"

Jacob was storming up and down the little front porch at the faded red cabin. Occasionally he would stomp down the steps and trod around heavily on the dirt at the bottom. Several of the Pack members had followed them back from the Council meeting and now stood with Bella a bit of a distance away, a "safe" distance considering Jacob's current frame of mind. No one had yet dared to speak to him, certainly not any of his Pack mates. Their new Alpha was nearing a boiling point that none of them wanted to come close to, not even Leah, who would normally tell Jacob where he could stick his rants. Some of the boys, Seth and Embry particularly, had eased in front of Bella slightly, feeling the protective position was appropriate for their Alpha's imprint. After all, someday Bella would likely be the mother of the next Alpha and Chief of the tribe. They knew there was no real danger but Jacob seemed blinded with rage the longer he went on.

Before anyone could register what was happening though, quite suddenly Bella was on the porch right behind Jacob as he was about to spin around to start his next lap. Embry and Seth gawked at each other wondering how she had slipped away from them so quickly. In the next second, each Pack member present drew in a deep breath and held it. Oh. My. God. What was she doing?

Before Jacob could make his turn, Bella reached her tiny hand up and placed it softly between his shoulder blades. He froze in place. A slight tremor ran down his arms, but just as quickly as it had appeared, it vanished. The scarlet tint that had reached his ears and down his neck paled back to his natural tan skin tone. He released a long, shuddering breath that wound down into a contented rumble that resembled nothing so much as a deep purr. He slowly turned, his face leading the way to look behind him. As his eyes came to rest on Bella, the black rage faded and they softened into his deep, soulful coffee color and then something else manifested itself in his aspect. The tenderness and love his heart held for her beamed into his face and the calm that came over him was palpable.

_ "Jacob, don't do this. Don't tear yourself up over what the Council thinks. As long as you, your family, and the Pack accept me, that's all I care about. Perhaps, with time, the Council will change their opinion. I'll do everything I can to win their approval. But later, okay? Right now, I just want to be with you and love you."_

Jacob just stood there reveling in the feeling washing over him as her words floated through his head. Even her unspoken thoughts were drenched in her love. This was more than he could have ever wished for in his wildest dreams. She really was his now. And the Spirits could not have chosen better in bringing them together. She was perfect. He knew she would always be by his side. The Pack watched the scene unfold in dumbfounded disbelief. Neither Jacob nor Bella had said a word and, other than Jacob's throaty rumble, there had not been a sound between them, and yet their Alpha was no longer a thunderstorm looking for a place to ravage. He was a calm and gentle breeze wallowing in a happiness none of them had ever seen in their young friend. They began to look around at each other with goofy grins blooming on their faces. Suddenly, Bella had become their secret weapon against Jacob's temper. They knew they would be putting this to good use in the future.

_"Wow, Bells! You're good, baby. How on earth did you even think to try that?"_

_ "I don't know, Jake. I just felt your irritation like a disturbance in my own emotions. I felt like I needed to be in physical contact with you. I needed to feel you to calm my nerves."_

"Daaaammmmnn Bella! That was sick! We thought you'd lost your mind to walk right up to him like that!" Quil was about to fall over from holding his breath too long. "I can tell ya, I wouldna done it."

The rest of the group joined in, congratulating Bella on being the bravest, most bad-ass imprint they'd ever come across. She was blushing violently and staring at her feet. Even Leah seemed to be fairly impressed.

"Shit Jake! You don't really know what you've gotten yourself into, do ya?"

Jacob growled at her but quickly followed it with a sheepish grin as he also ducked his head and ran his hand through his hair. Bella giggled and playfully shoved up against him. He encircled her waist with one long arm, snugging her up to his side, while pointing a long finger at Leah.

"Leah, you may be right. I have no idea what's going to happen next with Bells, but you might want to stay on her good side, ya think?"

That lightened the rest of the heavy mood that had been hanging around the group. Their faces were filled with both amusement and relief. Their new Alpha might be hell on wheels, but his imprint was a mighty influence and apparently a force of nature in her own right. They couldn't have liked it more! Bella felt the acceptance and affection as they all expressed their appreciation of their new ally. The cohesion of the Pack seemed guaranteed. She felt a good amount of pride that she had become able to make a contribution to their lives as well as Jacob's. This was what she hoped in her heart would eventually influence the Council's opinion, too. With the support of Jacob and the Pack and the rest of the Black family, especially Billy, she believed it was just a matter of time.

The group began to disperse to their respective homes and duties. Quil, Paul and Seth were patrolling tonight and Sam, Embry, Leah and Jared were headed out to spread the word to their families and any others who were aware of the Pack's existence, about the changes that had taken place.

Soon Bella and Jacob were left alone on the porch. Jacob reached down and wrapped both arms around Bella's backside. She gave a little excited yelp as he lifted her up to his chest until her nose was even with his, her feet dangling around his knees. He softly brushed his lips across hers, then came back to press his mouth firmly against her mouth. He held the kiss a long time. It was fortunate he had lifted her off the ground. If she had been on her feet, her knees would have given way, requiring him to catch her anyway. Finally breaking the kiss but still holding her against him, he rubbed noses with her sweetly then gave her his brightest smile.

"Let's go for a little moonlight stroll, whaddaya say honey."

Bella nodded her affirmative response woozily. Speech was not an option just now. Not after THAT kiss!

Jacob set her down and took her hand, leading her around the house and through the back yard toward the forest. They walked side by side, closely, touching always, hands entwined. Bella leaned her head against Jacob's shoulder. It felt like the most natural thing in the world to do. This was exactly where she belonged. They moved more deeply into the woods and finally came to a fallen tree where Jacob took Bella's waist in his big hands and lifted her up to sit on the trunk. He moved between her legs and stole another long, pulse-quickening kiss, his arms around her back, hers around his neck. When he finally leaned back again, she smiled up at him, caught in an attack of shyness. She couldn't quite bring herself to speak, so she tried thoughts again.

_"Jake?"_

He grinned down at her, amused at her delight in their new communication abilities.

_"Yeah, Bells?" _

_"Can I ask you a favor?"_

_ "Of course, honey, anything. Name it."_

_ "Would it be ok if I...um...saw your wolf again?"_

_"What? Why?"_

"Well...you'll think this is silly..."

_ "No I won't, I promise. Tell me, Bells."_

_ "Well...since HE suddenly decided to...um...'pick' me...I sort of wanted to...um... get to know him better? You know, maybe...hang out with him some?"_

Jacob threw back his head in laughter.

"Oh baby, you are amazing, you know that? Okay, wait here."

He made sure she was stable on the tree trunk and backed away from her until he was mostly concealed behind the undergrowth. He was taller than the ferns that were growing thickly around him but he was hidden from about the waist down. Bella snickered as he did an out-of-sight strip tease and tossed his shorts to the ground at her feet. He nodded to her and leaned down behind the surrounding green. In mere seconds, the huge russet wolf she loved sprang into view just inches in front of her.

A quick intake of her breath and a quickening of her heartbeat caused him to step back from her in anxiousness. He eyed her closely wondering if he should phase back right away. After only a moment though, she smiled sweetly at him. Suddenly, she held out her arms to him, beckoning him forward. The wolf moved right up to her knees and turned his flank to her. She laughed in surprise, but quickly reached around his neck and threw one leg over his back, dislodging herself from her perch on the tree. Jacob rumbled in his chest as Bella tightened her grip. She nuzzled into the fur behind his ear and whispered, "GO!"

The huge wolf and the tiny girl leaped through the forest at breakneck speeds. When Bella would begin to shriek in delight, Jacob would slow to a trot and let her catch her breath. After what seemed like hours, he made his way back to the fallen tree where their late-night excursion had begun. He dropped to his belly and Bella slid to the ground, holding his fur to maintain her balance. When she released her grip, he rolled over on his back, paws in the air, tongue hanging out of the side of his mouth. Bella looked at him hesitatingly at first, laughed and then jumped at him, scratching and tickling his belly and sides.

They made quite a sight! The itty, bitty girl and her very own giant, Alpha puppy.

Jacob finally rolled back to his feet and pushed Bella back against the tree by licking her face thoroughly.

"Ew, Jake! Enough! Uncle!"

She grabbed his shorts and pretended to toss them toward the ferns where he had first shed them. For a split second, he started to turn his big head to see where they would land. Too late he realized she was dashing for a nearby clearing, waving his only clothing in a circle above her head, laughing maniacally as she ran.

The wolf stood for a moment, mouth hanging open, watching his girl taunt him. Who was she kidding? In a matter of a few seconds, he had bounded to her side. She attempted to continue the game by dancing back and forth, teasing him with the garment, first in one hand, then in the other. Jacob danced along with her for a bit before deciding on his angle of attack. As Bella feinted to the left, he faked his intention to follow her. When she moved back to the right, he jumped forward and around behind her, snagging the waist of her jeans in his mouth. After this move, he simply stood up, Bella dangling helplessly from his teeth.

She screamed in delight and rage at having been bested so easily. She briefly swung her fists and feet in a vain attempt to land a blow on her captor.

"Jake! Not fair! Put me down this minute!"

Finally, Jacob lowered his head and unceremoniously plopped her on the ground spouting out a wolfy snicker and a bark. She rolled to her hands and knees, then stood up rubbing her bottom end.

"Very funny, I'll have a bruise back there tomorrow! Here's your stupid, old shorts!"

She threw them at his head. Instead of ducking them, he caught them in his mouth handily.

_"I'm sorry, honey. I'll massage it later if you like."_

Bella stood stock still and stared at the big, red wolf as if she was seeing him for the first time. It was Jake. But he was still a wolf. She heard the apology. She heard the improper offer. She HEARD them! Jacob stared back at her, wondering at first why she had frozen in place. The look on her face gave it all away.

_ "You heard that, didn't you Bells."_ It wasn't a question._ "Don't answer out loud!"_

_"Okay. I won't."_

After staring at each other, "speechless" for a few more moments, the girl and her wolf began to dance a jig around in a circle together. The girl snuggled into the wolf's side and buried her hands in the fur of his neck as his next thought came into her consciousness.

_"Oww! This just keeps getting better and better!" _

Their celebration continued, both of them blissfully unaware of the angry and dark golden eyes that watched them from the tallest tree a mile distant.


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: Thank you to my readers and reviewers. I can't tell you how much I appreciate the comments and encouragement you've sent my way. I hope this story entertains all of you a bit and perhaps piques your interest some. Sorry for that terrible cliffy at the end of Chap. 7. Here's the reveal. I'll bet some of you expected this, huh?

By His Side

Chapter Eight

EPOV (Edward)

This was absolutely intolerable. I was seething and raging as I watched my love and that stupid mongrel dance around in the forest. How could this have happened? She was, no, IS my reason for existence. I told her I would spend eternity with her, worshipping her, adoring her. She said that was what she wanted. She had promised her future to me. She was my only one and would be so from now on. What could have possibly gone wrong? I was sure of her love. Her feelings for me had been absolute, or so I thought. I should have never allowed her to go check on him after the newborn fight. I should never have brought him back to talk to her on that mountaintop. I should have never allowed him into the tent with us. I should have found another way to keep her from freezing to death. Should I have turned her right then to protect her from the frigid temperatures? No, that would not have been smart. If I had done that, there's no telling what would have happened when Victoria showed up with Riley. It would have been easy to predict, however, what Jacob's reaction would have been. I smiled at the mental picture of Jacob realizing he had delivered Bella to me at the tent, only to discover that she was on her way to becoming one of the immortal undead within hours after his departure. I could have snatched her right out from under his nose, forever. Oh, if only.

However,...that opportunity had passed. The moment for indecision was past. I had to move now if I was going to put a stop to this nonsense. Bella was totally unaware of the implications of her rash decision. She couldn't possibly understand what she was letting herself in for, nor could she grasp what she was giving up by letting me go. I offered her eternity, happiness, love, wealth. How was it that she had lost sight of those precious gifts? As I watched them from my perch, the plan formed in my mind. I refined it and set it motion in seconds. As the moment presented itself, I moved. The big red mutt moved behind some undergrowth to don his limited excuse for clothing. Bella was standing a few yards away, her attention completely consumed with trying to catch a glimpse of him. That distraction was all I needed. I leapt from the top of the tree hitting the ground already at top speed in her direction. Flashing into the clearing, I breezed past Bella, scooping her into my arms and escaping into the thick forest without making a sound. The only noise at that point was Bella screaming for Jacob, but it was much too late. By the time she had raised her voice, I had her several miles away. I switched back and forth across my trail to confuse the scents. I didn't stop until I had reached the border with Canada. There I set Bella's feet on the ground and fell to my knees in front of her. Clutching at her feet, I begged her for all I was worth. I had to make her see me.

"Bella, my love, please hear me out. I can't go on without you. You must understand what you mean to me. I can give you everything your heart desires. I can give you myself. I can give you eternity. Please give me another chance. I cannot walk away from you."

She stared at me with shock and fear and rage marring her beautiful features. Her eyes blazed with fury. I had hoped I would see at least sympathy if not passion in them. Oh, how far from what we once were we had come! This was going to be harder than I had anticipated.

BPOV

This turn of events was so completely unexpected that I could barely draw in sufficient oxygen to prevent the dead faint I felt threatening my consciousness. In the span of less than 10 minutes, I had gone from watching the love of my life changing back into his shorts in his human form, to standing ankle deep in snow, shivering uncontrollably, God knows where, staring at Edward and wondering if I could scratch out his eyes without hurting myself. I was having great difficulty wrapping my mind around the inconceivable twist in his behavior. I thought he had accepted my decision, understanding that it was permanent. What could he possibly be thinking?

"Edward, you have completely lost your mind. This is unacceptable and you should know that. One, I made it clear to you that I have chosen to remain with Jacob. Two, I made it clear that you must accept that we cannot be married, we cannot be together. Three, do you have any idea the uproar kidnapping me will cause with the Pack. And don't even get me started on what Jacob and Charlie will have planned for you. Have you even considered what your family will think when they hear of this?"

Edward stood stock still for several moments. I supposed he was digesting what I had said and trying to think of a comeback. This should be good, he simply has no justification for his actions this time.

"Bella, love, please listen to me. This is for your own good. You don't understand what you're giving up by choosing the dog. He is not worthy of you. You may not think I am worthy of you right now, but I know I can change your mind."

"Edward, do you hear yourself? How deluded have you become? I don't need you to make any decisions for me, for my 'own good' as you like to put it. You don't have a clue do you? My life, my future, is MY responsibility, MY call, MY decision. How can I make you see, there is no 'us' any longer. There will never be the eternity together we had once planned. I have chosen a different path, a different future. I am sorry to be so blunt now but, Edward, you have forced my hand. You HAVE to give me up. WE ARE DONE!"

He pursed his lips and stood silently, trying to gauge the sincerity of my words. Suddenly, he shook his head, muttered something about 'I'll make you see' and gathered me into his arms again. His grip on me was tight and secure as he began running again. The blurring of the surrounding countryside made it impossible to know where we were headed. I could only scrunch up into a ball, close my eyes tightly, pray he didn't lose it completely and hurt me... and wait.

After what seemed like hours, I began to notice that the darkness had completely closed in upon us, and Edward was now walking slowly rather than moving with blistering speed as before. Still afraid to open my eyes, I could feel that the terrain over which we were moving was uneven, and I was still aware that the air was unbelievably cold. Edward's arms were cold around me, they almost burned my skin where his fingers gripped my arms and legs.

Finally, he stopped, placing me on my feet again. I couldn't see my hand in front of my face, not one smidgen of light, not even starlight or moonlight penetrated my sight. I had been listening to my pounding heart, trying to slow it and calm it. Soon I became aware that the sound of my breathing seemed to echo slightly around me. I then heard footsteps as Edward retreated from me.

I was afraid to move. I slowly scooted one foot forward, searching with my toe. I stretched my leg as far as I could to the front and side without encountering any obstacle. Attempting to touch something, anything, to the other side or behind me yielded the same result. My trembling from the cold became almost uncontrollable from the abject fear that was settling over me. This was sensory deprivation at its worst. I felt as if I was standing on top of some great tower, with only empty nothingness all around me. As much as I hated the thought of turning to Edward for help, I seemingly had no other choice.

"Edward! Where am I? Where did you go?"

My voice echoed into the blackness. Immediately, he was right beside me, his cool breath torturing my ears and neck.

"I'm right here, love. Don't worry. I won't be leaving you alone again. I have fetched some wood to build a fire to warm you."

There was a noise resembling the destruction of a building with a wrecking ball. The rending of what sounded like an entire tree continued, making me slap my hands over my ears. Finally, the quiet descended again, and at the flick of his lighter, Edward set the campfire alight. As the flames grew and illuminated my surroundings, I saw that he had deposited me in some sort of cave. The walls were stone, roughly carved. As the fire made demonic shadows dance across the surfaces, I looked up to see a large, uneven hole in the ceiling. The smoke moved up in curls and was sucked up through the makeshift chimney. I squatted close to the fire, grateful for the heat but still looking at Edward with malice in my heart. I still couldn't quite believe he had this kind of audacity. Something in him must have snapped after our breakup. He reached out from his position beside the fire to brush my cheek with his fingers. I recoiled from his touch and the sadness returned to his eyes.

"Edward, where is this place? What do you hope to accomplish by holding me here against my will?"

"Ah Bella, I hope to win back your heart. Only time will demonstrate to you that I can care for you and love you in a proper way. I have brought you to this special place. I created this cave with my bare hands, all for you, to make a home for you and show you what our life together should be like."

I stared at him. Oh my God! He truly believes he can turn this around. He thinks this is the answer. How will I ever convince him that our future is no more?

"Edward, where are we?"

"Alaska, love. I found this area on a visit to Tanya and her family in Denali. There is no civilization within 300 miles of us. This will be our playground and our home. Ours alone. I will provide for you in every way. I can obtain food and clothing and fuel for warmth, and then when I have turned you, I will stay with you through the change to protect you. Then our eternity together can begin and this place will be our Shangri-la. I know that you will remember how much you love me. I can shower you with my love and bring back the memory for you."

I was quiet for some time. Finally, I looked at Edward, my eyes softening slightly.

"Very well, Edward. I will consider your proposal. We have nothing but time and this decision is very important for both of us. I understand that now. But right at this moment, I'm very tired and hungry and still a little chilly. Can you bring some more wood for the fire? Can you find a blanket or something and some food and water, please?"

I reached out and gently touched his hand. His dead heart seemed to soar. He thought his hope had not been in vain!

"Of course, Bella. I can even get something soft and thick for you to sleep on! Just give me a few minutes."

He dashed toward the entrance of the cave and I was left alone, the only break in the silence was the crackling of the fire. I let out a heavy sigh and sank back against the rough wall of the cave. As tears trickled down my cheeks my one thought was, _"Jacob."_

_"Bells? Honey, can you hear me? Please talk to me baby."_


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: Well, that was simply too much. So much so, I decided to post these two chapters close together. Hope that eases any distress Chapter Eight may have caused. Hope flames eternal folks, proceed! Don't forget to review. Pretty please?

By His Side  
Chapter Nine

JPOV

As I finished buttoning my shorts and stepped out of the cover of the ferns, I heard the air ahead of me whoosh along with Bella's 'oomph' that sounded like she had been struck. My heart froze and my blood stopped when I heard her scream my name, fear dripping from each syllable. I followed the sound with my eyes as it faded quickly. The glimpse I got was Bella's long hair flying and her little, pale hands clutching empty air. Though I only saw her, the stench that accompanied the commotion was unmistakable. My anger exploded exponentially as I grasped what had just happened before my eyes.

Edward! The demon blood-sucker had materialized out of nowhere and snatched my girl out from under my nose. What an idiot I was! Why didn't I rip off his head when I had the chance? Because Bella wouldn't have wanted that, that's why. As badly as I wanted to end him, I knew that she wouldn't have him harmed, at least not by my hand, for any reason. Of course, I would do whatever she wanted. She was my life, my love, my future, and I could only do what pleased her since any pain I caused her would hurt me too. Her heart still held a tiny soft spot for the leech, something from which I did not suffer. My sworn enemy produced no soft feelings in me. The thought of him set my teeth on edge and agitated my wolf to no end. And now, he had taken MY Bells!

For a split second, I began to chase after them. It didn't take long to realize that not only did he have a head start on me; he was crisscrossing his track attempting to prevent me from following his trail. I was going to need help and backup this time. When I caught up with them it would probably be necessary for my Pack to stop me from grinding Edward into dust right in front of Bella. I phased immediately and howled for my group. Quil, Paul and Seth were patrolling and were there in my head at once. The others followed soon after. The ruckus was confused and noisy in my head.

_"What is it Jake? What's wrong? What's the emergency?"_

_"Settle down now. Listen carefully to what I have to say. Eddie Cullen has kidnapped Bella."_

That set them off.

_"WHAT? ARE YOU KIDDING? IS HE CRAZY? WHICH WAY DID HE GO? WHERE HAS HE TAKEN HER?"_

_"Easy everyone. We got this. I won't say calm down, cause hell I'm not calm right now, far from it.  
But he's crossed up his path of escape to mess up the scent trail and it's going to take all of us to follow it and pick it apart._

Brady, I want you and Collin to get back to my house and inform Billy of all the developments of the past few hours.  
Ask him to inform the elders, get them up to speed. Then I want both of you to go in human form to the Cullen house.  
Don't show any aggression, but don't show any fear either. Don't back down when the big one confronts you, because  
I know he will. Blondie probably will too. Tell Dr. Cullen what has happened and tell them I hold all of them just as  
responsible for Bella's safety as I do Eddie-boy. You might mention to them that his actions put the treaty in serious  
jeopardy because the abduction occurred on Tribal lands. Make sure they understand that we expect their complete  
cooperation in ending this situation and that an unfavorable outcome will be very bad for them."

I cringed inside as I thought of exactly what 'unfavorable outcome' actually meant.

_"If anything, I mean ANYTHING, happens to Bella, they will pay with their lives. Is that clear?"  
__"Crystal, Alpha!" and with that Brady and Collin streaked toward my home._

_"Now, as for the rest of us, time is of the essence. We all know Bella's scent, and we all know  
Edward Cullen's. He grabbed her over here and took off in a northerly direction but soon backtracked  
and began to circle and zigzag. Stay focused and pay attention to each other's senses. As a single unit,  
I think we can trace his ultimate path. We know he won't head anywhere familiar to any of us. He  
probably won't head anywhere familiar to any of his family either. He's not stupid. He's more clever  
and devious than I gave him credit for. We have to be smarter. Any questions?"_

Seth stepped forward cautiously, afraid, I guessed of attracting my ire. He dipped his head  
slightly and pawed at the ground.

_"Jake, have you heard from her?"_

**_"What? What the hell do you mean, Seth? This just happened!"_**

He crouched down under the onslaught.

_"I just wondered if she had called for help yet. You know, in your head, before you phased again?"_

My mouth fell open and I gaped at him. I had been so overwhelmed I hadn't thought to try to find her that way.

_"You're right Seth, I'm sorry little bud. I have to admit I haven't looked for her that way."_

I started to return to human form to attempt the connection before I remembered that Bella's ability had  
progressed even further since the Pack was last around us.

_"Bella? Honey can you hear me?"_

The other wolves shifted uneasily. Embry was the brave one this time.

_"Jake? Don't you have to be human to connect with her?"_

_"Not anymore. Watch."_

I showed them my time with Bella in the clearing just before Edward's appearance. Sam, Quil and Leah howled in unison.

_"It's progressing! You can hear each other when you're wolf too!"_

_"Yeah. Bella's 'powers' are growing. I can't explain it, but it will be a definite advantage now if I can  
reach her. You guys go ahead and start trying to untangle the trail the leech left. I need some peace  
and quiet so I can concentrate."_

They all fell silent and began the tedious task of detangling Eddie's trails. I moved away from them into  
the thicker concentration of trees and sat back on my haunches to try to clear my mind. I had no idea how  
far we could reach toward each other nor did I have any way to know how far the bloodsucker had taken her.  
The connections between my Pack brothers and sister seemed unlimited by distance. I prayed the Spirits  
had gifted Bella and me with the same ability.

I tried to shut out the cacophony of the rest of the Pack's thoughts as they sifted through the mingled trails.  
I shifted my awareness of Brady and Collin as they neared my home, to the back of my mind. In a near  
meditative state, I pictured my beautiful girl's face, conjuring up her smile and her sweet voice.

_"Jacob."_

It was a moment or two before I realized that the mention of my name had not been my imagination.

_"Bells? Bella?"_

Nothing. Silence. Try harder, Jacob! I berated myself for not thinking of this sooner. I might have been able  
to stay connected with her the whole time and we wouldn't have to search through the crossed trails the leech  
had left. Dammit Black! What the hell is wrong with you?

_"Bells? Honey, can you hear me? Please talk to me baby."_

It was quiet. For just a heartbeat. Then I heard it. It was so faint.

_"Jake? Is it you baby? Am I hallucinating?"_

I thought I would die of a heart attack. My relief could not be measured.

_"Bella! No honey, you're not hallucinating. If you are, I am too. Oh Bells, honey, are you  
hurt baby? What has he done? Where are you?"_

_"Oh! My Jacob! You have no idea how good it feels to hear your voice. No, I'm not hurt.  
I'm pretty sure now that won't happen. Edward thinks if he keeps me to himself and takes  
care of me he can change my mind and make me want to stay with him. Jake, he hasn't harmed  
me, but I'm afraid. He's gone kind of crazy. I think something in his head has snapped and he's  
completely delusional, not listening to reason at all. He's scaring me Jake."_

If I wasn't already wolf at the moment, I'm sure he would have burst forth at this revelation.

_"Bells, baby. I'm so sorry I let him get close to you. I would rather die than have him think for  
a minute he can take you away from me. I'm not much of a protector am I?"_

_"Jake! Stop that. This isn't your fault! How could you have known that Edward would go off his  
rocker and trespass on your territory just to get to me? I never dreamed something like this could  
happen. We just have to stick together and I'll be home with you before you know it."_

I sighed and huffed at myself in disgust. My girl sure knew to buck me up. She was perfect.

_"You're right baby. I need you home with me. I need you by my side. Tell me where you are honey."_

_"That's going to be a bit of problem Jake. He kept me balled up in his arms, I couldn't see anything  
as we travelled, and now he's got me trapped in a cave. All I know is we're somewhere in Alaska.  
Edward told me the nearest civilization is 300 miles away. I can't be much help I'm afraid."_

My blood began to boil again at the thought of Edward Fucking Cullen's arms wrapped around my girl.  
MY Bells! MINE! I gave myself a mental shake to calm my thoughts. I had to remain as level-headed  
as possible if I was going to figure out how to find her.

_"Okay, Bells. Try to relax baby. We'll figure this out together. Is he there with you now?"_

_"Not right now, no. He's gone to get me some food and water and a blanket or something."_

A new thought occurred to me, a new fear.

_"Honey! Alaska! My poor baby, I'll bet you're freezing. I swear I'm gonna kill him!"_

_"No Jake! Easy, sweetie. Don't forget, he's still trying to win me back. He is at least going to take  
care of me. He's built a fire here in the cave. I'm not too cold, not now at least."_

_"Okay, honey."_

Calm, calm Jake Boy, breathe, down boy.

_"May not be a good idea for us to try to communicate while he's close by. Try to get some rest  
tonight and in the morning, see if you can get him to let you go outside the cave to look around.  
Try to get your bearings, look for a landmark, anything to hint at where you are. Ask Eddie to fetch  
you something else, food or a change of clothes, then contact me as soon as he's gone. Can you  
do that for me honey?"_

_"Of course, Jacob. I'll do whatever you say. Please hurry Jake. I miss you and I'm frightened.  
Edward is different now. He's changed...a lot. The word unpredictable is top of the list now."_

_"I understand Bells. Try not to worry baby. The rest of the Pack and I will be trying to follow the trails  
he left. We'll be getting closer to wherever you are with each hour that passes. And I'll be listening for  
your sweet voice in the morning. I miss you too, honey. I love you, Bells."_

_"I love you too, Jacob."_

EPOV

"Bella! Wake up, love. Here's a blanket my sweet. And I've brought water and something for you to eat."

She seemed lost in thought when I returned. She had leaned back against the wall of our new home and  
her eyes were closed. There were tear tracks on her cheeks but there was also a slight smile playing about  
the corners of her beautiful mouth. Perhaps she had shed a few tears of relief and joy that we were finally  
alone together and her smile was a reflection of the happiness growing in her heart. I knew it was only a  
matter of time. She would be mine again. She would rediscover the love she had felt for me from the  
beginning and she would realize her mistake in choosing to leave me.


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: And the hits just keep on coming. We've got more EPOV in this chapter. Yeah, he's not my favorite either, but I can't "fire him up" just yet. If they'd killed Darth Vader in Episode IV, then V and VI would've really sucked, *yawn*, and Luke would have never had a Daddy. Thank you readers, reviewers, etc. You make my heart go pitty pat. Let me know, clickity, click. Yours, mama

By His Side

Chapter Ten

EPOV

This was going much better than I could have ever hoped. Bella had actually asked me for something! Of course I knew she would be hungry and thirsty. I hadn't exactly anticipated her asking for a change of clothes but that wouldn't be difficult at all. I would do anything for her. I had to change her mind. If I allowed her to stay with that filthy mutt, her life would be in constant jeopardy from him losing control, or maybe one of his pack members attacking her. You just never could tell with werewolves. They were so unpredictable. Bella was beautiful and sweet but she rarely recognized or understood the dangerous situations she put herself in. She needed me to protect and guide her, until I could turn her. Our eternity together would be glorious!

She finally fell asleep on the pallet I had provided for her. I had a sleeping bag and blanket for her, and I kept the fire going constantly to ensure her comfort. I was so proud of my forethought in constructing this cave last year. I had intended to bring Bella here on our honeymoon for a few days of camping and relaxing before moving on to Isle Esme. This would be the perfect location to turn her. There would be no interruptions, no intrusions, and nobody within 300 miles to hear Bella's screams. Once she had completed the change, there was an abundance of wildlife for me to provide her with the beginning menu of her new diet and lifestyle. It would be just Bella and me.

The long night finally began to come to a close and the sky outside began to lighten a bit. I had been sitting quietly, watching my love sleep. She had dreamed some, I think perhaps about being with me. There were no nightmares, but there was some whimpering that sounded so sweet and occasionally a small smile would flit across her beautiful mouth. She finally began to stir and I rushed to her side so my face would be the first thing she would see when she opened her lovely eyes.

"Bella? Love? Here I am darling. Good morning sweet. How was your nap?"

BPOV

True to his word, Edward soon returned with something for me to sleep on, some sort of lounge cushion, and a sleeping bag and blanket. He also had some bottles of water and some prepackaged sandwiches and sweets. Everything looked rather stolen if you ask me. I was having a great deal of trouble picturing Edward Cullen stealing anything. I wondered how far away he had gone to get this stuff. He had said he would bring me some new clothes tomorrow after he brought in more wood for the fire. Would those things come off of somebody's clothesline? I was entirely exhausted and once I had eaten a few bites I told Edward I needed to sleep. I didn't like this. I didn't want to have to rely on Edward for my survival. But I needed to keep my strength up, to make the Pack and Jacob's rescue as easy as possible. I didn't know if there would come a moment that I would need to try to slip away from Edward, but if I was weak or sick, that would never happen. If I had not been able to 'hear' from Jacob, I think I would surely have died from fright and hysteria by now.

My Jacob. I can tell you, I certainly wished he could have been in THIS sleeping bag with me last night. I wasn't cold, but it definitely was NOT the same. Edward watched me like a hawk the whole night. I wondered why this had never creeped me out before the way it did last night. The circumstances were vastly different weren't they? When sleep did finally claim me, I was more grateful than one could imagine that my dreams were of Jacob, and not nightmares of my jailer. The visions I had of my soulmate were comforting, mostly of his rescuing me and whisking me off to our beloved forest and seashore. I knew Jacob was worried about me and was beating himself up for 'letting' this happen, but he and his Pack would be here soon and we would return to La Push together and I could make him understand that an insane vampire cannot be predicted or easily handled.

The stillness and the quiet of the cave were eerie. The first real discernible sounds of the morning were the light crackling of the fire and, unfortunately, Edward's voice. I had begun to stir and awaken and when I opened my eyes he was RIGHT THERE! Oh my God, we were practically touching lips!

"Edward, please tell me you haven't been almost nose to nose with me the whole time I was asleep."

He leaned back and laughed. He laughed at me!

"No love, I've been close, but not that close. I only wanted to ensure that you weren't frightened when you awoke, in case you had forgotten where you were."

"Forgotten? Seriously, Edward? That's going to be pretty much an impossibility I would think. By the way, Edward,"  
I reached out and gently put my hand on his forearm. His eyes shot down to my fingers and back up to me with renewed sparkle and hope.

"You promised you could find me some fresh clothing this morning and I would really love to get up and stretch my legs, get some air. And a place that I could freshen up would be favorite. Do you think we could go to a village or town that might have a hotel?"

"NO!"

His outburst made me jump and stumble back away from him until I slammed against the cave wall. He quickly caught himself and tried to rein in his temper.

"I'm sorry, love. I mean there's not a village or town or a hotel anywhere near us. Perhaps I can provide you with a receptacle to hold enough water for a bath. I can heat the water on the fire."

My questions were not leading me in the direction I wanted, which was basically the mouth of the cave and the great outdoors, and the thought of undressing and bathing within 1000 miles of Edward made my blood colder than the icicles hanging from the edges of the ceiling of this damn cave.

"Well, can I at least go for a little walk outside so I can wash my face a bit, with some snow? And a visit to a 'facility' is going to be necessary quite soon, Edward."

I think I had him there. His darkening bronze eyes were puzzled for a few moments. I was pretty sure I wouldn't need to tell him that I had no intention whatsoever of 'going' inside the cave. I didn't care how big it might be. Finally, mercifully, he seemed to come to a decision.

"Bella, love, of course you can go outside and walk around and take care of any 'human' needs you might have. Forgive me for not being better prepared for you. I've been a bit overwhelmed by your visit. Be sure to watch your step out there, the snow cover is not deep but it can conceal the very uneven terrain. You might also want to take your blanket to put around your shoulders."

"Thank you, Edward. I'm really looking forward to seeing the surrounding scenery, and um...maybe that change of clothes?"

I tried to give him a genuine smile but it wouldn't come. My "visit"? Oh, shit, he's further round the bend than I thought! Oh Jacob, please hurry!

I gathered up the blanket from my pallet, threw it around my shoulders and followed Edward out of the cave. I soon saw the reason it was so dark in here without the fire. The mouth was huge, maybe 50 feet across, but it was at least 100 yards from the entrance to where I had slept last night and the middle section narrowed to half the size of a highway tunnel before opening up again to the cavern at the back. No wonder no daylight could make it back to my 'bedroom'. At least my confidence was boosted when we emerged into the open air. There were thick evergreen forests in every direction I could see, but the cave was carved into the top of a bald rock, an outcropping of granite with nothing but snow and loose stone on the outside. The gaping black entrance to the cave would be visible for miles and miles.

Again, I approached Edward and delighted him with a touch on his shoulder. I had to gain his trust.

"Edward, this is utterly beautiful! How did you find this place?"

He grinned at me somewhat shyly. "I built it. Myself."

"What? You mean you built the cave?"

"With my bare hands. All for you my love."

I was speechless. I don't know when he had done this construction work, perhaps on one of his extended hunting trips with Emmett. My mouth fell open and Edward beamed at me proudly. I had to pump him for more information on this location though.

"Can you show me around? We are really high up, I can tell and it looks like the cave is in the tip top of a mountain."

Puffing out his chest, believe it or not, Edward showed me that the cave was indeed carved nearly all the way through the tip of the mountain. As we walked in a circle around the perimeter of the rocky surface, my fairy godmother reached down and hit me on the head with her wand.

"Wow! Edward, what's that?"

"That's McKinley, love. It's very close to where Tanya and her family live."

"Oh, in Denali? Perhaps we can visit them soon?"

"I don't think so Bella."

I got the impression that my last request was over the line. I had to be careful and not push him. I wasn't the least bit confident of what was going on in Edward's mind right now. It wasn't the logical, smooth thought processes I had come to know from him. As I stood looking out toward the huge mountain in the distance, I became aware of a warm, happy feeling in my heart...and my mind.

_"Bells?"_

It was the tiniest of voices, but my heart nearly flew from my chest. Edward turned to me sharply and my greatest fear, it seemed, was realized. He couldn't hear my thoughts, but he could hear Jacob in my head. God help me!

"Bella, are you okay? Your heart rate just almost tripled. Are you getting too cold out here? Maybe you should get back inside. I'll go get those clothes you requested and some more food, water and wood. Will you be okay on your own for a while love?"

I breathed deeply in a desperate attempt to slow my heart and get a grip on my emotions. He'd be able to smell those.

"Of course, Edward. That sounds like a great idea, take your time. I'll be just fine. I think I might stretch out and get another little cat nap, okay?"

"Very well, love. You'll be perfectly safe up here. You just relax, I won't be long."

In an instant, he was a blur, and gone. Only now could I begin to get a handle on my heartbeat.

_"Jacob! Are you here? Jacob? He's gone."_

_ "Oh, Bells, thank God! I was starting to get really worried. How are you doing baby? Are you...okay?"_

I had a feeling what he meant.

_"Yes, Jake. I'm fine, physically. But I'm still a little afraid and I miss you."_

_ "He hasn't...touched you, has he Bells?"_

_ "No Jacob, he hasn't touched me in a bad way."_

_ "What the hell does that mean, Bella?"_

_ "Well...he reached out and touched my cheek once last night.."_

_ "Bells! I swear, if he lays one more finger on you..."_

_"Jake, it's ok! Easy! I've put my hand on his arm a couple of times trying to gain his trust."_

_ "Oh my God, Bella! Please tell me you're not considering this, are you going to leave me again?"_

_ "Jacob! For Pete's sake, NO, I'M NOT GOING TO LEAVE YOU! I LOVE YOU, YOU IDIOT! "_

I had to take a deep, shuddering breath to steady my voice in my head.

_ "Jacob, he didn't want to let me go outside! I have to act like I'm glad to be here so he'll trust me enough to let me out to try to figure where I am. Jacob... Jake... you know better. Think about it. You were there, I was there, our SOULS wrapped themselves around each other. I can't live without you."_

_ "I'm sorry Bells. You're right. I'm just antsy about you being in such close quarters with the leech. I need you back here with me, honey."_

I had to laugh at the close quarters notion.

_"Jake, the cave is gigantic, I know you and the Pack will have no trouble finding it."_

_ "I hope you're right. Tell me what you saw when you went outside."_

_ "The cave is in the tip top of a mountain. It's surrounded by thick evergreen woods all the way around but the top is completely bare of growth. It's a bald knob of granite and the mouth of the cave is at least 50 feet across. It should show up as a big, dark splotch in the surrounding ice and snow and Jake, on the opposite side from the cave entrance, I could see a HUGE mountain! Edward called it McKinley. I guess he means Mount McKinley, he said it was close to the Denali clan's home. So here's the deal Jake, this mountain with the cave is the ONLY thing close to McKinley on the North side that's not covered solid in trees. It's completely bare granite all the way around except right now it's covered in snow and ice."_

_ "Honey, that sounds like 'Uncle Baldy'. Old Quil has stories he tells about ancestors who cut all the trees off the top of a mountain and then scraped off all the dirt. Bells, the Pack and I are west of Whitehorse in the Yukon Territory and we're almost flying. We're still catching traces of his scent and it's not zigzagging any more. Don't worry Bells, I am on my way to you, baby, and you're coming home with me." _

_"Jake, please be careful when you get close. You know he'll be able to smell you before you come into his sight. And remember, he's gone kind of fuzzy in the head, there's absolutely no way to predict what he might do."_

_ "We'll be cautious, Bells. I don't want to risk provoking him into any aggression toward you, even though you don't think he would do that, from the sound of it, he's totally nuts. Try not to let on to him about our approach, and try not to be afraid, honey. We can 'talk' again as we get close and you can tell us where he is, then you can guide us in. We'll be there before sunset and Edward will likely be history soon after."_

EPOV

I was so excited to have my darling Isabella with me. I could barely keep a straight face in the convenience store in Denali Preserve. It was my little secret that the most beautiful girl on the planet had chosen to be my eternal bride. She would make me so happy, as I would do for her. Our eternity, our destiny, would be as one. She was lovely and pure and I had her all to myself. I don't know if Alice would approve of the clothes I had acquired for Bella, but I'm sure they would be fine for the time being. A nice pair of jeans, also some sweatpants, some sneakers and a Denali T-shirt, I was certain Bella would love them. I had tonight all planned, it would be perfect. My mother's ring, which Bella had returned to me when she foolishly believed that dog could provide for and take of her, was tucked into the pocket of her new jeans. She would be so surprised. I could already feel her arms wrapped tightly around my neck, her sweet kisses planted all over my face.


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: It's heating up in the Great Wild North. Hope you are all enjoying my adventure. Let me know what you're thinking. Thank you to all my readers. Thank you especially to YouHaveGot2BeKiddingMe, Problem Child 11, Dottyanne, LAUREN3638, DragonbBy and ILovePeetaMellark101. You're all so sweet. Send requests to madmamabear because I'm willing to write almost anything you guys want. I'm just a ho fo reviews I guess. Read on peoples!

By His Side Chapter Eleven

JPOV

My paws were growing tired. My head was growing heavy. But I couldn't stop. My girl was in mortal danger. I had to get to her before it was too late. The imprint spurred me on even when my strong constitution was beginning to fail me. My heart was aching from exertion and from the separation. I craved Bella's presence. I needed her near me. My Pack understood this as well as I did and they were right there with me. When we began this journey, my Bells was more than 2500 miles away. Now the distance between my soulmate and me was less than 200 miles. The mad dash across Canada had been fraught with trials. Civilization was tough to avoid sometimes, and we had encountered hunters in the most unexpected places. More than once, bullets or buckshot had whizzed over our heads. We never had the luxury of running a direct route to Denali. But Bella's heart was calling to mine across that vast wilderness. I would have her in my arms before sun-up tomorrow. And that blood-sucker would be on a funeral pyre. The Pack mind reverberated with fury toward the vamp coupled with encouragement for each other to keep pushing onward.

_"Don't worry Jake, we'll get her back."_

_"She'll be fine."_

_"Cullen will pay."_

_"Just a little while longer."_

_"Let's go!"_

They all felt the urgency radiating from my heart to be reunited with the other half of my soul.

BPOV

Once Edward had left me alone to get more food and some clothes and I had communicated with Jacob and he had promised me he and the Pack would be here before nightfall, I decided to try to rest a little more. I retreated back into the cave and stoked up the fire a bit with the remaining pieces of the original tree Edward had butchered. Even with no appetite whatsoever, I tried a few more bites of the pre-packaged sandwich and pastry he had delivered. Mostly I just sipped from the bottle of water to make sure I stayed hydrated. The cold air outside and the dry heat of the fire was starting to sap me a little and I was concerned about keeping my strength up as well as keeping my wits about me. I don't know how long I had been asleep when a slight scraping sound roused me. The glow of the fire was barely enough to light my immediate area, but as soon as I became conscious, I was aware that I was no longer alone. The fact that Edward had not spoken in greeting to me nor was I able to see him in his usual position of staring at me while I slept chilled my very soul when I understood what that meant. Someone was in the cave with me and it wasn't Edward.

I tried to make my breathing as shallow as possible to keep it as quiet as I could. My heart had lodged firmly in my throat and swallowing it back down was definitely going to take some effort, not to mention making a loud gulping noise. Before I had a chance to really start to hyperventilate, the chime-like voices rang through the air, bouncing off the rounded walls of the cave as if in a cathedral.

"Oh, now Irina, look what you've done! You woke her up! How are we going to surprise her now?"

"Shut up Tanya! This isn't a freaking birthday party!"

What? Irina and Tanya? From Denali? Oh shit! Irina, who hooked up with Laurent? Tanya, who wanted to hook up with Edward? I was screwed.

The two beautiful, blonde vampires strolled lazily into the circle of firelight and stood looking down at me with hunger in their eyes. It was in that moment that I realized that their eyes were not golden. They were red. Oh God, the Denali clan had reverted back to their "natural" diet. My voice was frozen in my throat and all I could do was push myself up against the wall of the cave that was closest behind me.

"I was so glad Edward told us about this cave he built, but I never dreamed when we went for a hike this evening that we'd find it stocked with 'food'."

Irina was practically drooling at me as she focused her gaze on the throbbing pulse in my neck. Tanya seemed to echo Irina's sentiments, but had a slightly cautious air about her.

"You know, sister, there's something familiar about this one. And now that I pay closer attention, Edward's scent is all over this place."

Irina seemed perturbed with her.

"Of course his scent is here. He built the damn cave, Tanya."

"No, it's too strong for that. It's too fresh. And this appetizer fits the description of the human Edward fell for last year. Look at those big, brown eyes. You remember what he said? 'pools of chocolate and long, silky mahogany locks' I thought I was going to puke."

They stared at me hard for a few pregnant moments.

"Say, sweetie, are you Isabella Swan?"

Unable to utter a sound, I could only nod my head a fraction to confirm their suspicions. They looked at me, then at each other, and took another step toward me.

"Boy, Edward's really gonna be pissed at us. But we're both simply dying of thirst. Oh well, he'll get over it...brace yourself sweetie."

EPOV

As I returned to the cave that held my heart's desire, I was joyful, elated. The world was a good and happy place this evening. I emerged from the tree line moving toward the top of the knob and our new home. I instantly smelled the intruders. As I flashed to the mouth of the cave, I confirmed the scents of Irina and Tanya. It was family. Unexpected, intrusive family. I would just have to get rid of them as quickly but as gently as possible. I didn't want to offend them but I needed to be alone with Bella for the next year at least, and they weren't especially welcome. As I entered the cave I gasped in horror at the words I heard them speaking to Bella and each other. They were definitely planning something that I wasn't about to let happen. I didn't know why they would be discussing feasting on a human. It didn't matter. Not THIS human they wouldn't. In a split second, I had streaked to the back of the cave, grabbed both of my 'cousins' and flown back outside with them, each one gripped firmly under one of my arms. I hauled them back down to the tree line and flung them to the ground. They both leapt to their feet in a blind rage screaming at me.

"What the hell is wrong with you Edward? Are you trying to kill us?"

As they focused on my black eyes, they suddenly lost their voices and backed up a few steps.

JPOV

We were almost there. We had rounded the foot of Mount McKinley and started the ascent to Uncle Baldy. We couldn't see the cave mouth on the far side of the knob but we knew we were on the final track to Bella. Suddenly, my heart was squeezed tightly in my chest and I stumbled to my knees gasping for air. The rest of my Pack pulled up short and clustered around me in anxious fear.

_"Jake! What's wrong man?"_

Quil was the first to reach me. I looked up at him as the others paced around me whining.

_"Something's wrong with Bella!"_ I gasped out._ "All of you keep going. You've got to get to her!"_

_"I'm staying with you Jake,"_ Quil tried to protest.

_"NO! I'll be alright! **ALL of you GO...NOW!"**_

_"Bells! Honey, can you hear me? What's happening, baby?"_

Her thoughts were faint but they felt like she was screaming. The fear was a physical blow to me.

_"Jacob! I love you. I'm sorry I'm not gonna make it for you. I'll always be with you."_

_"Bella! No!"_

I felt her scream and her thoughts went black. I dragged my body upright and bolted up the side of the mountain. In the next few minutes, all was chaos. I saw through my Pack's sight as they cleared the trees and started around to the far side of the mountain top to the cave entrance. Caution was thrown to the wind and they split up, half heading around in one direction, the other half in the opposite. There were eight of us with me bringing up the rear. I had pushed my legs to double my speed and I hit the clearing only seconds behind them.

On the far side of the knob, Edward was facing off with two female vampires. They both had screaming scarlet eyes, but he was talking to them as if he knew them. They tag-teamed him and in moments both of them had made it back to the cave entrance. He managed to intercept them at the mouth but they were fully engaged when all eight wolves attacked from the flanks. The vamps were so involved in their own skirmish, they never had an inkling that we were anywhere near.

Quil, Leah, Seth and Jared took one female. Sam, Embry, Paul and I took the other. The blonde bloodsuckers screamed in surprise and fear. They were quickly clamped and ripped, heads rolling in different directions from the flung limbs and torsos. The Coward Cullen had ducked into the cave at our appearance and I shouted to my Pack Mates,

**_"Light 'em up!"_**

I bounded to the mouth of the cave and phased to human mid-stride in a dead run toward the back cavern. I could 'feel' Bella strongly now. I couldn't hear her, but I could smell her fear. I bounded through the narrow division between front and back and adjusted my eyes to the dim interior. The fire was barely glowing. Bella was lying to the left of it, against the wall of the cave, completely unresponsive as Cullen was leaning down to her reaching under to scoop her into his arms. I skidded to a stop right in his face as he straightened up with her, her head dangling lifelessly over his right arm. I stretched my arms over Bella's body and encircled his neck with my hands.

"Leech, I will allow you to put her down. I don't want to kill you with her in your arms, but by God, know this, I WILL."

He stared at me uncomprehendingly at first. He looked as if he hadn't understood the language I was speaking. He tightened his grip on Bella, holding her even closer to his chest.

"You're crazy, dog. Bella loves me, not you. You fooled her into thinking you were the one with whom she was meant to spend her life. I have made her see the light and her heart has returned to me."

I narrowed my eyes at him. His cocky attitude was completely out of character for the Edward Cullen I knew. He was trying to bluff me but I knew better. Didn't I? I looked at the limp body of my soulmate and I knew he was lying. Then I heard it.

_"Jacob, I'm here. I'm staying still. See if you can get him to put me down."_

_"Bells, oh God! Hang on, honey."_

"Edward, listen to me for a minute. Let's put Bella down on that pallet and see if she's ok, how 'bout it?"

"NO! She'll be fine in a minute, she's just fainted! I have to turn her now! The wolves are outside and will try to stop me!"

A low growling rumble clawed its way up my throat. I looked him hard in the eyes and I was certain he could see the Alpha glow in mine. And the last bolt holding Edward Cullen's sanity to its platform, sheared off.

I had never seen the face of anyone who was completely mad. But if you could tell by looking at their face that they were indeed crazy, I could see this in him. He was completely gone, and he was holding the girl I loved in his arms and telling me he was prepared to change her into a bloodsucker just like him.

I fisted my bare, human hands together and snapped his head off.

I grabbed Bella as his arms released her as his body toppled to the floor of the cave. I gently laid her down on the sleeping bag as I shouted to my Pack outside.

"Somebody phase and get in here now! There's another carcass to burn. NOW!"

Quil and Embry raced in without bothering with shorts. Their eyes grew wide in shock at the sight, understanding that I had just beheaded Edward Cullen in my human form, not wolf. Without a word, they collected the body and head and moved swiftly back out to the fires.

I barely noticed their exit. I was running my hands over Bella's body looking for injuries or visible trauma. Finding none, I cradled her body in my lap and nuzzled her neck as her arms came up around me. She was trembling uncontrollably and her face was soaked with tears as she sobbed into my shoulder.

"It's okay, honey. Sshhh. I'm here, baby. It's over. He's gone."

She clung to me tightly as I kissed her cheeks, her eyelids, her nose. Finally she opened her eyes and gazed back at me, and my world righted itself. She held the back of my head and pulled my lips to hers, pressing them together to seal our bond again. She was mine. I had her back.


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: Thank you to everyone who read, reviewed and favorited my little adventure.  
Team Edward people, wherever you are, forgive me if you can. Somebody had to do it.  
Please enjoy the build-up to the next climax.  
Please keep those reviews coming, for they make me so happy.

By His Side

Chapter Twelve

JPOV

As the rest of my Pack tended the vampire pyres outside the cave; I remained inside cradling Bella in my arms.  
I reached over to grab some fresh firewood and stoked up the campfire in front of us. My girl had been through an  
ordeal that I would never wish on anyone and she clung to me as if I were a lifeline. I held her close and gently  
rocked her until her sobs subsided. She was my mate, my life and I nearly lost her. I shuddered to think what my world would  
have become if we had not gotten here in time to stop the lunatic leech. I whispered softly to Bella that she was safe now,  
that I was here, that I loved her, that we would be going home soon. Finally her breathing smoothed out and deepened.  
I hoped she would get some much needed rest now. I could hear her heart beating strongly; I breathed her scent in deeply  
and knew that everything would be alright.

After about an hour all was quiet outside. My Pack brothers and sister had mounted a bit of a celebration  
around the fires but now they were settling down to get some rest before we began the long  
and arduous journey home. They all stayed wolf for comfort on the ground in the snow. They had probably  
moved just into the tree line to stay out of the brisk breeze that whipped around the top of Uncle Baldy.  
Embry strolled in quietly to check on Bella and me. He squatted down beside the fire, ran a glance over Bella's sleeping  
form in my arms and whispered to me.

"Jake, man, your arms are gonna fall off dude. Let me fix this for you."

He grabbed the sleeping bag and rolled it up into a big pillow and stuffed it down between my back  
and the cave wall. I leaned back gratefully relaxing my legs out in front of me. Embry then bunched  
up the pallet and blanket to support my left arm which held Bella's body.

"Thanks, Emb. You knew I'd never put her back down didn't you?"

He smiled warmly at Bella's serene face. There was something akin to love in his expression.

"Knew there wasn't a chance, brother. The pyres are out of 'fuel' so they've died way down. I'll bury  
them with snow when I get back out there. Everybody's bedding down  
in the woods for the duration. Just let us know, man. We're here till you two are ready to go."

"We'll shove off soon after sun-up. The trip back will be rough on Bella. I want her to rest as  
long as possible before we start. Is everyone aware that we can't go top speed straight through on the return?"

"Yeah, we were talking about that. What would you think about sending all but, say, 4 of us on ahead?"

"Sure, sure, that'd work. Anyone who might need to get back, especially Sam, Jared, Paul and  
Quil can go ahead and bug out. They've got their girls waiting for them. They know I understand  
and I don't think we'll have any run-ins with any bloodsuckers on the way home."

Embry laughed softly.

"To be honest Jake, nobody wants to split up the party, or at least they won't SAY  
they need to head back fast. But you're right, the guys with imprints are gonna  
feel it soon and need to start moving South."

I brushed a strand of hair away from Bella's face and gazed at her with pure adoration.

"Absolutely Emb, tell those four to move out as soon as they want. No real need for them  
to wait till daylight unless they just want the extra sleep. The rest of us can get started after full light."

Embry reached over and gave my shoulder a gentle squeeze and got to his feet.

"Will do, Jake. Take a deep breath now bro, it's over. It's really over."

I did as he instructed, grateful for his friendship and brotherly love at that moment. I was  
grateful for all of them just now. The outcome of this drama could have been very different  
if I had been alone. It would not have ended well at all. I smiled and nodded at Embry and he turned  
and retreated out of the cave. I thought back to the moment I finally woke up in my room back  
home and realized that Bella was gripping my hand tightly. Is it possible that was only four  
days ago? I marveled at the turn of events that had brought us to this point in this place. I was alive.  
Bella had chosen me and was now my imprint, my soulmate. I was now Alpha of my Pack and  
Edward Fucking Cullen was dead. The world really did shift on its axis when I looked in Bella's eyes,  
didn't it? Fucking amazing.

The trip home would be a challenge. Bella would have to ride wolf-back all the way so we couldn't  
run flat out like normal. I could send some home faster, but at the reduced speed, we'd be  
vulnerable to many dangers and would need numbers for protection. We also couldn't make  
the trip in one or two days either. That kind of travel would absolutely wear out any human, especially  
after what Bella had been through, and the weather would definitely be a factor. Even though it  
was June, there was still snowpack and the temperature on the back of a wolf at about 30 miles an  
hour would have a pretty mean wind-chill. When we stopped to rest we would build a fire but the  
best way to keep Bella warm would be to surround her with wolves. We'd take the sleeping bag  
and blanket, wrap her up good and then build a wolf-fort around her.  
That ought to do it. Protection and heat made to order. I smiled when that picture formed  
in my mind and I could hear the protests Bella would put up and the comments various members of my Pack  
would make. They'd all get over it, I was certain. I relaxed my head back and closed my eyes without  
worry for the first time in a very long while.

The sun rose up with a frosty, sharp North wind as accompaniment. As soon as the dawn  
had begun, Quil, Jared and Sam struck out for home. Their girls would be missing them as badly  
as they were missed, even Claire would be sad without her 'Quilly' there to search for 'pitty wocks'  
on First Beach. I more than understood that empty hole-in-your-gut feeling. Paul decided to stay with us,  
reasoning that Rachel would kick his ass if he didn't stick  
with her brother. If I knew my sister, she'd probably do much worse than that.

Once the sun climbed a little higher and could begin to warm the air, the rest of the Pack  
had stirred up and were anxious to get underway. I had been awake since first light, watching my  
Bells sleeping peacefully in my arms. Damn, I was glad to have her back by my side safe and sound.  
I didn't even want to contemplate how I would have coped if we had been too late...no, did NOT want  
to go THERE. I saw again how well the Spirits had chosen, pointing out Bella as my mate. As if in  
answer to my dark thoughts, to dispel them, Bella began to whimper and move around in  
my grasp. When her eyes fluttered open to me, my mind and my soul were clear and free.  
When she smiled sleepily up at me, my heart swelled to near bursting. When her  
hand lifted to caress my face, my body was made whole. This is what it's all about.  
This was the girl I had loved for more than half my life and the  
Spiritual Seal of Approval just proved to me that I had chosen my perfect match, on my own.

Embry and Seth helped assemble a "pack" for Bella. We rolled up the sleeping bag with the  
food and water that was left, inside them. Seth stripped the cover off of the pallet and  
shredded it into strips to tie up the bundle and then we headed outside to secure the whole thing to  
Embry's back. Neither Paul nor Leah could keep quiet.

_"Well, would you look at little Eeyore!" _

_"Hey Embry? Where's Juan Valdez? Did you lose him?"_

Everyone's mood was so high at the thought of returning home to tell our families about  
the rescue of Bella and the death of Eddie Cullen. Embry took it all in stride, didn't utter a  
sound but I swear he was grinning like a...well, like a wolf. Now THAT'S a man who's at peace  
with his inner beast. Maybe we could all be that way soon. I had deep hopes. If the rest of the  
Cullens would vamoose to the East Coast, or maybe even Europe, the occasional nomad bloodsucker  
that passed through our territory would be a walk in the park compared to the last couple of years.  
We could easily manage with the Pack size that we had, could even spare a couple if someone  
wanted to stop phasing. I know Sam had talked about it, and Jared had too. Leah would only be too  
happy to leave all of us behind and take off somewhere far away to go to school. She might be able  
to find some peace and happiness of her own. Deep down, we all would be happy for her, because  
we all knew and felt what a raw deal she had gotten.

We gathered together, I phased and laid down for Bella to climb up. Seth helped her wrap herself up  
in the blanket after she was mounted up and then phased himself. With light spirits and soaring  
hearts, we began our trek South...home. We stopped every couple of hours for Bella to stretch  
her legs, walk around, answer the call of nature. By sundown we had covered a little over 200 miles.  
Jeez, this was going to be tough! Thank God it was a one way trip.

Since we were avoiding civilization as much as possible, everyone but Bella had to hunt to  
sustain themselves. Not our favorite dinner bell invitation, but we would survive. What with  
mountain streams and lakes for fresh water and the food  
the leech had fetched for Bella, we would likely make it just fine.

We pulled up at the edge of some  
thick woods where the trees began to thin out into a meadow with a creek running  
through it. In less than an hour we had a small cleared out area and a fire going  
for Bells. Pine and fir boughs were spread out as a barrier between the sleeping bag and the  
ground and after we'd all had something for our bellies, Bella snuggled into it so we could  
build our "wolf fort" around her. She giggled at the concept at first, but it didn't take long  
for her to see how well it was going to work. There would be no one between her  
and the fire. I would be behind Bells from the fire and Paul and Seth would take up  
their positions at her feet and head. The night began with Paul above  
her head but that didn't last long.

_"Dammit, Paul, if you flop your tail over on Bella's head one more time, you and I are going at it and your throat is mine, do you hear me?"_

Leave it to my perfect mate to diffuse the situation with no effort, requesting Paul to bring  
his bushier self down to her feet because the breeze was coming from that direction. Though we  
were all tired, the vibe was almost like a First Beach bonfire. It was going to be a good night's rest.

A little after midnight, Leah and Embry were getting ready to run a quick perimeter check. I had  
opened one eye to follow them out of the clearing. The rest of the Pack was curled up with their  
noses under their tails, snoozing away. Bella began to wriggle around inside the sleeping bag, whimpering  
and then crying out in her sleep. In the same moment, I lifted my head to check on her and  
Leah, Embry and I each smelled it and sounded the alarm.

**_VAMPIRE!_**

Everyone was instantly awake and Seth and Paul had crouched down around Bella,  
covering her completely. Leah shot off around our campsite in a quick, tight circle.

_"Leah! What do you see? Where's that scent coming from?"_

_ "Dammit Jake, there's nothing here! Embry!"_

_ "I'm in the meadow, Jake! It starts over here and heads up at the tree line!"_

I backed away from Bella's hiding place and scanned the treetops in our immediate area.  
As I raised my nose high, I could tell it was still up there, above us.

_ "Back to site guys. Leah, herd it toward me, Embry we'll try to corral it at the edge of where we cleared out."_

"Jacob Black! I should have known to look for you in the middle of this!"

We all froze in place as Alice Cullen leaped down directly into the center of our campsite.

I don't know how the following series of events took place in such a small amount of time, but the  
next four minutes were jam packed. Bella recognized the pixie's voice and squirmed  
out of the bag and out from under Seth and launched herself into the damn vamp's arms.  
She was crying and blubbering on the leech saying how glad she was to see her and then  
telling her how sorry she was for how things had turned out.

It seemed this was all news to the little bloodsucker. Because of  
the presence of the Pack, she had lost sight of Bella and  
Eddie, and had come to investigate their disappearance from her visions.  
The moment Bella had run to her, I had phased to human form and grabbed Bells to try  
to drag her away from the sucker. As Bella continued to tell her the tale of Ed's unfortunate  
demise, along with the two Denali females, Alice Cullen became more and more agitated  
and so did I. She reached the limit of her control and crouched and attacked, enraged.  
I pushed Bella to the side and prepared to take the brunt of the vampire's strike myself,  
as a human, hoping against hope I could sidestep it so it was a glancing blow and let my  
accelerated healing take it from there. I never dreamed Bella could regain  
her footing and move back to me that fast.

To the split second, the time that Bella jumped in front of me to  
protect me (what?) and the time that pixie from hell arrived  
in front of me was exactly the same brain-wrenching, lung-crushing, heart-stopping moment.

The leech seemed to try to "pull her punch" at the last second and the glancing blow I had counted on  
took down my Bells instead of me. My mate lay bleeding on the frozen ground.  
I fell to my knees wrapping my arms around her.

The leech landed just behind me, stunned into immobility at what she had done.  
Paul was closing his jaws around her head before she stopped her skid on the snowpack.  
And the silence was deafening.


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: Thank you all for reading and sending your comments. I can't tell you how much it means to know someone is enjoying my story, my plaything. I hope you continue to watch for this adventure. Please forgive the occasional erratic posting schedule. I'll do better, I promise. Mama Special thanks to Lady of Spain, your words have made me smile.

By His Side

Chapter Thirteen

Jasper's POV (3 days ago)

I'm not sure what to do. Alice is about to drive me crazy as she goes crazy herself. The entire family has been freaking out because  
we have discovered that Alice's vision of Edward kidnapping Bella and taking her to Alaska has come horrifyingly true. We never  
dreamed that Edward was unstable at all; much less enough to do something like this. I fear for his safety and Alice's sanity if this  
doesn't turn out well, and my God how could it? At the very least, Edward is guilty of kidnapping. At the worst, well, I don't even  
want to think about it.

Alice has been about to break the door down to head North and try to find them. Carlisle and I have been  
able to 'talk her down' several times and now we are trying to reach our Denali family and enlist their help. We haven't heard from  
them in quite a while and thus far Carlisle has been unsuccessful in reaching them.

I don't suppose any of us really expected Bella to do what she did. Her decision to break off her engagement with Edward and  
take up with Jacob Black seemed to us as quite 'out of the blue'. Whether it was a snap decision or something she had been thinking  
of for some time, Edward tried to maintain his composure at first but soon it was just too much for him. He was so completely  
wrapped up in his human girlfriend he completely lost sight of where his influences on her were leading. She was dead set on not  
aging if she was going to be with him. He wanted her to stay human, but of course, he never considered what he was actually  
asking of her. As a Southerner and a gentleman, I understand women a little better than Edward I suppose. Yes, you can ask a woman  
to spend eternity with you, but don't dare ask her to grow old if you aren't going to age with her. I never understood why Edward  
couldn't see that. I tried, I really did.

"Edward, what in the Sam Hill are you thinking? Does Bella understand the real concept of 'eternity' when it comes to committing  
herself to you? I doubt it. You have to set her down and talk to her plainly and make her see what she's heading into."

Did he listen to me? Of course not. Alice tried as well, but Edward was obsessed and wearing blinders too.

"Jasper, what can we do to make Edward see that Bella doesn't understand?"

Alice was getting edgy.

"I don't know what else we can try Sugar. Every attempt at reasoning with him has failed. Do you still see blank spots in their future?"

"Yes! And trying to concentrate on the fuzzy areas is giving me some serious migraines and is messing with my hold on reality I think.  
Sometimes I can't tell what is future and what is present day."

All along I feared that when Bella finally became fully aware of what she would be giving up if she 'joined' Edward, she would bolt and  
we would not see her again. It looks as if that first part of my concern came to pass but the second part was what Edward decided  
to try to prevent. Rather than never seeing her again, he inexplicably thought that keeping her captive was the solution.

This morning, Alice was particularly agitated and I tried to keep close tabs on her. She said she was going to hunt with Rosalie and  
Emmett and I was certain they would be able to keep her corralled. I was wrong. She told them she heard a number of deer around  
the far side of a ridge they were approaching and as soon as she rounded the hill she slipped away from them. They thought she had  
either chased the deer far afield or made her kill and headed on home. What the little stinker had actually done was kill a deer, left  
the carcass for them to find hoping they would think she was still hunting, and set out at top speed presumably for Alaska.

She had no idea where Edward and Bella were. None of us did. But apparently she intended to try and track them. Emmett and I  
raced out to trail her as soon as we figured out she had given us all the slip. Emmett tried to pick up Edward's trail as I began trying  
to follow Alice's path. She had a couple of hours head start on us and we had no idea how fast her loose emotional state was  
propelling her.

After two days with no sign of Alice or Edward, I called Carlisle and asked if he would come to Denali and try to find  
Irina or Tanya and ask if Edward had contacted or come to them. I would continue my search for Alice and we would stay in  
touch as best we could with the spotty cell service in these Northern territories.

On the third day I picked up a semi-fresh trail of Alice in the Yukon Territory. The scent was Alice alone, no Edward, no Bella.  
I followed it all day as best I could. A tracker I am not.

Around midnight I heard a commotion in the distance. It was several miles away but I detected growling and snarling and a lot of it.  
The thing that struck terror to my core was what type of growling I heard. Some of it was my beloved wife. The rest of it was werewolves.

As I raced toward the source of the disturbance I was almost afraid to see what I would discover. My eyes were deceiving me I hoped.  
As I neared the hideous sounds I was following, I saw an area where a few trees had been cleared out and the remains of a campfire  
were smoldering. The small clearing was full to the gills with werewolves. As I ran forward in horror, I saw Alice leap down from the top  
of a huge pine tree into the middle of the wolves. I saw Bella rush toward Alice and embrace her, tearfully telling her what had taken place  
over the last three days. I saw one of the wolves become Jacob Black and reach for Bella, pulling her away from Alice and shoving her  
to one side. I could not comprehend the next thing.

My sweet Alice, eyes black with hunger and fury, behaving like a demented harpy, crouched and lunged at Jacob. Moving impossibly fast,  
Bella lunged between them screaming 'NO!' to Alice. Unable to stop or fully deflect her strike, Alice smacked Bella a glancing blow to her  
body and head. As Alice's momentum carried her on over Jacob's head, she came down skidding to a stop right in front of one of the wolves.

The gigantic brute simply closed his jaws over my wife's head and torso and snapped her in half. I stumbled to the ground screaming and  
crawling on my knees toward the clearing. I was too late.

Jacob's POV

This can't be happening. We're going home. We were fine. Bella was warm and resting peacefully. Within minutes that changed into utter  
chaos and tragedy. I lifted Bella into my arms. She was like a torn ragdoll. There was so much blood. Her scalp was lacerated, her shoulder  
and arm were broken open and bleeding. I held her to me and cried her name over and over. I could not lose her now. Not now.

I heard her voice.

"Jacob?"

It was just a whisper.

"Bella? Baby, talk to me, stay with me. We'll get you some help. Don't leave me, honey."

"Shh. There, there. It's okay Jacob. I'll be okay. Don't worry. I'll never lea..."

"Bells? Bella!"

At that moment, the snarls of my brothers and sister were renewed in anger. I followed their gazes to the side of our campsite and gaped  
in stunned fascination as Jasper Cullen walked into the firelight circle, hands raised as if in surrender. I called to the others to hold and allow  
him entrance. He approached me as I held Bella's limp body in my arms and he shook his head sadly. His eyes moved to a spot behind me  
where Paul was just grinding another piece of Alice Cullen to dust.

"I see that I am too late in too many ways. There is no recourse for my wife and I can only assume that my brother has met a similar fate.  
I am overcome with sorrow for their actions and I beg you to try and forgive my family for the grief we have caused you. I cannot excuse  
them except to say that they had each lost their tenuous grip on reality and were not fully aware of the impact they would cause. If I may,  
in an effort to make some small amends, please allow me to help you get some medical attention for Bella."

I stared at him in shock. Was he fucking kidding me? But then a clearer mind prevailed. Embry stepped forward and phased.

"Jake, wake up man. He may be our only chance to help Bella. How could we get her somewhere for treatment from way out here by ourselves?  
Time is everything now."

Jasper spoke up again at this show of support.

"Your brother is right Jacob. Please, let me help her."

I still couldn't speak but I nodded at him to proceed. He reached into his pocket and withdrew his cellphone. Suddenly, with blinding speed  
he climbed to the top of one of the tall pines surrounding our campsite. Within minutes he returned informing us that we weren't that far from  
a settlement and there were cell towers in range. He said we could bring Bella to the settlement and Carlisle would meet us there and transport  
her to a hospital himself. I was still too stunned and now too hopeful to argue with him.

I laid Bella back onto the sleeping bag as gently as I could and quickly pulled on shorts and a t-shirt. Embry dressed too and I ordered Paul, Leah  
and Seth to stay wolf and follow us as far as the tree cover would allow. Embry helped me hoist Bella back into my arms, sleeping bag and all.  
We all struck out for the nearby village. I hated pinning our hopes on a bloodsucker but right at this moment I had no choice.

We ran into the middle of the square in the center of town. There wasn't a single light to be seen. Miraculously, Embry found a post on the edge  
of the square with a huge bell on it. We hoped the residents would all forgive us, but this was an emergency and Embry began ringing for all he was worth.

In a few seconds, I think we had roused the whole town. Luckily the first person to come running was the Chief of Police. At first he was furious  
at the disturbance at this hour but when he caught sight of Bella in my arms he staggered to a stop with a "Holy Mother of God!"

We explained that Bella had been the victim of a bear attack and a transport would be here soon to take her to a trauma center but did the  
village have a doctor in residence. They did and he was fetched immediately. He tried to stabilize Bella and was actually able to set her up  
for a blood transfusion.

I told him I would be the donor for that duty and looked around daring anyone to say otherwise.

We had moved into the Town Hall that faced the square and I laid Bella on a conference table in the main room. Embry pulled another table next  
to the first and I lay down beside her and prepared to try to help keep her alive even if it meant every last drop I had.

Jasper got on his phone again and contacted Carlisle with our location. Carlisle had chartered a Med Flight service out of Fairbanks and gave the  
pilot the coordinates for the village of Beaver Creek, Yukon Territory. They would arrive in approximately five hours.

Please stay with me Bells. Hang on, Honey.

The town doctor did what he could to staunch the blood flowing from Bella's wounds before beginning the transfusion. He inserted the needles  
and asked me to hold to Bella's uninjured arm to prevent any movement between us. I certainly had no problem with that request. Anything that  
allowed me to maintain physical contact with my girl, I was all for it.

As I lay there looking at the broken and battered form of my only reason for living, Embry walked over to me and gave my arm a squeeze. I turned  
my head to look at him and saw a look of expectation in his eyes. My brow furrowed in question. He leaned down and lowered his voice to barely a whisper in my ear.

"Why don't you try TALKING to her Jake? It might help make her feel better, huh?"

He winked at me conspiratorially and clarity dawned in my haggard eyes. I turned my head back toward the ghostly white face of my soulmate.  
Her beautiful lips were also drained of almost all their lovely pink color. I closed my eyes and willed her to hear me.

_"Bells? Honey can you hear me? It's Jacob, Baby. Talk to me, please." _

Nothing.

_"Please talk to me Bella. It's me, honey, Jake. I'm right here. Let me hear you Bells."_

Silence.

_"Come on Bells, please hear me and talk to me. I need you Bells, I need you."_

It sounded a million miles away.

_"Jacob? Jacob, where are you?"_

_"Oh Bells! I'm right here beside you honey! Talk to me. I'm right here."_

_ "Jacob, where are you?"_

And then it faded. I opened my eyes to look again at Bella. Even through the tears in my own eyes, I could see the trails left by the tears that  
were escaping from the corners of her eyes.


	14. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Twilight.  
All characters, etc. are the sole property of Stephenie Meyer.  
This plot deviation, however, is all mine.

By His Side

Chapter Fourteen

BPOV

Holy cow! Where am I? Where's Jake? Where's Alice? Why does my head feel like there's a fireworks  
extravaganza going on right behind my eyes? Why is practically all of me numb? Okay, Bella, get a grip.  
Don't panic. This will make sense if you slow down and organize your thoughts. I can do this. It'll be easy  
as breathing.

I miss Jacob. He came for me. He really saved me from crazy Edward. Thank God! And Jake's okay.  
And he's mine! Wow! That's just...awesome! He imprinted. The thought of that used to make my blood  
run cold. I never have to worry about it again. He woke up and imprinted on...ME! My inner child was  
dancing ring around the rosy. Wait a minute. Jake and I were ACTUALLY dancing ring around the rosy.

And, oh man...I LOVE his wolf. He's beautiful and, and, soft and, and BIG! My best friend is my  
protector, my soul mate AND my very own Beast! Well, a girl can pretend to be Beauty can't she?  
Belle/Bella get it? And Jake always has called me 'beautiful'. Works for me.

But the most amazing part of the whole thing...I've somehow been allowed to share thoughts with Jacob.  
The two of us have our own 'Pack Mind' connection, and it works whether he's human or wolf. That's got  
to be the most mind-blowing aspect of our whole relationship. And I don't mind telling you, it's kinda hot too.  
For Jake and me to be able to communicate silently and over distances, well...it's just too much!

Hey, wait a minute. Now that I think of it...where is he?

_"Jacob? Jacob, where are you?"_

Humph. That's odd. That's kind of scary. I should be able to 'hear' him. When Edward snatched me away  
from the clearing, right in front of Jake, it wasn't long at all before I heard his deep, smooth voice inside my  
head. It helped me not be so frightened, just to know that he was coming for me, Jake and practically his  
whole pack. His strong voice in my head felt so warm and I was able to not panic, well not much. But now I can't  
hear him at all. A frosty shot of fear just pushed through my veins. The pain is coming in waves now, riddling  
my body all over. The tears are beginning to flow involuntarily. What's wrong with me? The memories are  
flooding back in waves of visions, I couldn't stop them if I tried. I'm being bombarded from within.

Uh oh. I remember now. Alice! Oh, Alice! I couldn't believe she was there. I had no idea how to tell her about  
Edward. She was going to kill me. I was so glad to see her but afraid at the same time. Would she believe me  
when I told her about how Edward had been behaving? God, I hoped so.

But why did Jacob grab me and shove me away? No! Wait! Stop! Alice, no! Her eyes were glazed and glittering  
pitch. She didn't look right. Something was very wrong with her. She crouched to attack position, her eyes  
trained on Jacob. I had to stop her. I had to protect him, at all costs. Better if it were me. Maybe  
I could reason with her. At the very least I could block her path to MY Jacob. Jump at me Alice! Not Jake!  
It wasn't his fault.

I wish I could remember from that point. I don't know what's going on but I don't like it. Not one bit.

JPOV

All I could do was gaze groggily at Bella's pale features. I had given her all the blood the village doc would allow.  
I had already given her my heart and my soul. If she left me now, all those parts would be lost to me. If I lost her  
now, I wouldn't need them anyway. The thought of facing the world, and the rest of my life without her twisted my  
insides into big throbbing knots. I could barely catch a complete breath and my head was aching and fuzzy from  
trying to hear her, to reach her.

Carlisle and the chopper arrived about daybreak. Bella was loaded up and I leaped into the cargo door just as they  
lifted off. There was absolutely no way in hell I would let them leave me behind. I would be staying by her side,  
permanently. She was MINE and that was the bottom line. It was lucky that Doctor Fang was the one in the Med  
Flight. He knew better than to even attempt to keep me from going with them.

I had instructed the rest of my Pack to head for home immediately after we got underway. Embry would make  
sure everyone got home safely. I could trust him, good friend, best Beta I could have chosen. The vamp Jasper  
told the Doc he was going to make tracks for Denali to try to meet up with the big one,  
Emmett. The words stuck in my constricted throat but I had to thank Jasper and Carlisle  
for helping us get medical care for my Bells. That was definitely a no-brainer.  
Whatever she needed was what I wanted, even if it was a vampire's cell phone, money and clout. Carlisle  
was pretty good with his powers of persuasion. Jasper's influence certainly didn't hurt either.

Since the saw bones in Beaver Creek had gotten Bella stabilized, they decided to fly us straight to Seattle  
Regional Medical Center. Carlisle said their trauma unit was the best this side of the Rockies and that sounded  
good to me.

I passed out somewhere over the Canadian border and when I came to, I was in a darkened hospital  
room. At first I thought I was alone. I started to panic for a second, but then I sucked in a ragged, deep breath.  
I could smell her. Bella was here. I reached out and grabbed the curtain beside the bed I lay on and yanked it  
back toward the wall. There, in the other bed in the room, was my baby, my Bells.

I started to crawl off the bed to go to her when the room began to dance around and I had to latch my hands  
onto the rails of the beds to keep from getting really well acquainted with the floor. Whoa! I was as weak as a  
newborn pup. I must have squeezed out more blood than I realized. I held on tightly for a few minutes while my  
eyeballs reoriented themselves into their proper sockets. I had one hand on the rail of Bella's bed and one on  
mine. I climbed back onto my bed, mustered all the strength I had in me and pulled the two beds together.  
Trying to suck in some renewing oxygen, I dropped both rails and crawled to my girl.

She looked so small and pale and helpless. Oh, my Bells. Why oh why did you jump in front of me? What were  
you thinking Bells? Honey, what did that damn pixie leech do to you? There was a bandage around her head and  
around her shoulder and upper arm. I could see at the edge of her hospital gown, there were bandages around  
her middle, probably her ribs were broken and there were tubes and needles everywhere. Damn, she wasn't going to like that  
and my beautiful angel couldn't heal in a week like I could. This was going to be a long, hard road for her.

I would be with her every step of the way. I swore on my own heart I would stay by her side.

A nurse came in and started checking monitors and IVs. She gave me a narrow-eyed hard look. I shot back my  
best blazing-eyed wolf stare and let a quiet growl escape my lips. Wide-eyed she spun on her heel and left without saying  
a word. I cuddled up close to Bella, just to get some contact. I needed to touch her. She looked cold and so tired  
and yet so sweet. I eased my hand up to her face to brush her cheek as softly and gently as I could. I didn't want  
to disturb her rest but my body was crying out for her. I lifted a strand of her hair and held it to my face, inhaling  
her essence into my starving lungs. My head felt so heavy so I rested it on the edge of Bella's bed up against her  
arm. I pressed my lips to her undamaged shoulder and then I took her hand in mine. It was small and chilled. I  
folded my hands in prayer on her mattress and enveloped her hand between them. I closed my eyes and promised  
the Spirits and any Deity who would listen...take me.

Take everything I have. Just let me stay with her a little longer. Let me stay by her side.

(The next morning)

I was awakened by raised voices in the corridor outside Bella's room. I had slept, but fitfully. I still felt a little transparent  
and I was parched. I sat up and looked at my Bells. She was still pale but maybe not quite as bad as yesterday. Her  
sweet lips looked as parched as mine felt. I pushed my bed away from hers enough to get my feet under me on the  
floor and went to the bathroom to get a cloth. There was a pitcher of ice water on the table at the foot of Bella's bed.  
I reached in, grabbed several pieces of ice and wrapped them in the cloth, then I dampened it with some of the cold  
water. I was gently pressing the cloth to her lips and around her mouth when the door opened suddenly admitting  
a very angry Charlie.

"Don't tell me I shouldn't go in there right now! She's MY DAUGHTER for God's sake!"

Charlie came to an abrupt halt as he turned his attention into the room. At first his eyes fell on Bella's  
small broken and bandaged form. I completely understood the anguish in his eyes as he took a hesitant  
step toward her, his hand outstretched.

Immediately, his gaze shifted to me, hovering over his daughter. His fury was rolling off him in thick waves. I think  
he was contemplating homicide right there in Bella's room until Carlisle stepped to his side placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Chief Swan, please, before you go off on Jacob, take note that he is also wearing a hospital bracelet. He is also a patient  
here and if it wasn't for Jacob, Bella would likely no longer be with us."

The parade of emotions that marched across Charlie's face was wide ranging and varied. He stared at me, incredulous.

"Jacob, son, is this true? What did you do? Tell me."

"I gave Bella my blood, Charlie. She had lost a lot, so...I gave her a lot. It was necessary and I wasn't gonna lose her. The  
doc is keeping me here as a patient for a day or two until I build my supply back up. You know, just as a precaution. Course,  
I wouldn't be leaving anyway, Charlie. Bella is my whole world. I'm gonna be here by her side until she's released. I'm not  
leaving. And I'll be the one bringing her home. She's my girl now, Charlie. You can depend on me to take care of her from  
now on. I don't intend to let anything else happen to her, and I won't be letting her out of my sight."

Charlie's expression grew sorta reddish and angry-looking. I thought sure he was gonna explode at me and tell me to stay the  
hell away from his little girl.

But he didn't.

I'm not sure why, but suddenly he clamped his mouth shut, straightened up and stepped to Bella's bedside. He reached out and  
softly brushed her cheek. For a minute I thought he was gonna cry. But he just stood there looking at Bells for a bit, then he  
looked hard at me, nodded and turned and stalked out of the room, motioning for Carlisle to follow him.

When the door closed behind them, I heard Charlie ask the Doc,

"Did Jacob really give Bella blood? And so much of it he has to stay here to recover?"

"Yes, he did Chief Swan. His blood type is a universally compatible O-negative and he refused to let anyone else donate. Jacob has saved Bella's life twice now. I deeply regret the actions of two of my children whose  
sanity was lost, causing their reprehensible actions, but I thank God for Jacob that he put them out of their misery while  
saving Bella at the same time. Jacob is a hero to all of us, Chief."

"What do you mean, 'put them out of their misery'?"

"Alice and Edward are both dead, Chief. They are, I hope, in a much better place now, for their existence here had turned  
completely destructive and malicious. Their actions were unforgiveable. But at least Bella and Jacob are alive and will both  
recover with time."

"I don't know what to say Doc. I'm very sorry for your loss. I..."

It sounded like Charlie was choking up at that point. He had obviously been filled in on the last few days occurrences. I had turned my attention back to Bella holding the cloth to her lips to  
try to moisten them when Carlisle returned to the room. He gave me a small smile as he checked Bella's chart, IV and monitors.  
He asked me if I had seen any change in her. I could only shake my head. I couldn't seem to get words through my lips just at  
that moment; my throat had closed up suddenly. Carlisle pulled Bella's eyes open one at a time and pointed his little light into  
each of them a couple of times. I looked at him expectantly.

"She still needs some time, Jacob. I don't look for her to regain consciousness before tomorrow. This has been a strong shock to  
her system. Have patience, okay?"

I nodded at him and looked back to my Bells. Without taking my eyes off of her I said,

"If she needs any more blood or anything else Doc, you'll tell me right?"

"She won't need more blood Jacob, but if there's anything you can do to help her, I'll let you know. Right now, what you're  
doing is the best thing for her. I have a feeling she knows you're here."

I cocked my head to the side and stared at him for a minute. He seemed to try to convey an idea to me that maybe he knew more  
than I realized. I let out a sigh and thanked him.

Man, I'm thanking a lot of leeches lately.


	15. Chapter 15

A/N and Disclaimer: Thank you so very much for reading and reviewing my play-pretty. I cannot  
adequately express how happy your kind words of encouragement make me. Please stay with  
me and tell your friends. The more the merrier. Love you all, Mama

I own nothing related to Twilight. All is the property of Stephenie Meyer.  
This plot deviation, however, is MINE!

Special thank you to Murfy for being the best Beta ever. I love you, babe, you rock!

By His Side

_Chapter Fifteen_

Jacob sat on the side of his hospital bed, elbows on his knees, hands grasped tightly in front of him. He had been  
discharged this morning. He was fine. So they said. He didn't feel fine. His tired, glazed eyes stared across at the  
still figure in the other bed in the room. The monitors didn't beep any more. She was still hooked up, but the sound  
was turned off. Jacob couldn't decide if he was grateful for this or not. He watched the jagged green line jump across  
the screen scrolling Bella's pulse, one short spike, a skip and a high spike. There were always two spikes to the set,  
two sets to the trip across. He had focused on that little green line until his eyes went dry and moldy. They told him  
he could stay in the room until they needed the bed for someone else. He didn't bother to tell them that another  
patient in his former bed would be the least of their worries if they tried to make him leave.

He wasn't leaving. Period.

He stood and moved to her side and once more took her hand in his. He missed her. He needed her. He placed a  
delicate kiss on her unresponsive lips. He squeezed his eyes shut tightly to contain the stinging behind his lids.

_"Come back to me Bells. Please come back."_

He choked on the whispered thought.

The door to the room opened a bit and Carlisle leaned his head into the gap.

"Jacob, could I speak to you for a moment please? Out here."

Jacob held his hand to Bella's cheek for a moment then placed her hand back down onto the mattress.  
He silently moved into the corridor to speak to the doctor.

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"You want me to what?"

"It's not as bad as it sounds, Jacob. Chief Swan gave us permission to come to you for decisions about Bella's  
treatment and care. He said Billy filled him in on the details of your new relationship with Bella, and he trusts  
you to do whatever is necessary for her well-being. We want to do a brainwave scan to monitor the activity  
that's there."

"Whatever you need to do to help her and bring her back Doc."

"Jacob, I can't bring her back. She's got to do that on her own, in her own time."

Jacob drew in a deep but jerky breath. He knew what Carlisle was saying was true. It was just so hard,  
the waiting.

"Of course, Carlisle, do whatever you think is best for her. Do what you can to find out what's going on inside her head."

"Thank you, Jacob. We are doing all we can."

He hesitated a moment then asked, "When's the last time you ate anything, Jacob?"

Jacob rubbed his hands down across his eyes and face finally pulling one hand through his hair landing on the back of his neck.

"I don't know, Carlisle, I guess last night's dinner from the cafeteria. I haven't eaten today since they discharged me this  
morning. They quit bringing me a tray, ya know?"

"Come on, Jacob. Come with me, you have to eat."

"No thanks, Doc, I'm staying right here."

Carlisle looked at this tired yet amazingly strong young man before him.

"Well at least walk down the hall with me and we'll get you something out of the vending machines, how about it?"

Jacob hesitated a moment, then nodded and started toward the end of the corridor.

BPOV

_Fuzzy, grayish white, fog. No sound, no other sight, no color, no shapes. No pain. That was the first thing I noticed._  
_Nothing hurts anymore. Well, that's progress. Now if I can figure out where I am, I'll really be on a roll. I feel weightless_  
_and free. It's actually quite comfortable but damn, it's lonely. I miss Jacob. I haven't heard from him in...how long? No idea._

_At first I was surrounded in blackness. Finally the dark began to get...thinner? It gradually turned into the fog in which I_  
_am currently drifting. After a time I can see...shapes? Movement? What is that? The haze begins to disperse. Oh, okay, I_  
_know what that is, that's a hospital room. There are two beds, one with a guy and one with a girl. The guy is...big, dark-haired,_  
_caramel-skinned, really hot... and heeeyy...that's Jake! Why is Jake in the hospital? What's wrong with my wolf-boy? He doesn't_  
_look sick. He's just sitting there, staring at that girl in the next bed. Now, wait just a damn minute! Back off sister, he's MINE!_  
_Why is he in her room? What's her problem? Ooh, girl, you look like hell. Trust me, Jake's not gonna look twice at your beat up,_  
_raggedy ass. For Pete's sake, at least brush your hair, child._

_Hey, hey Jacob, where you goin' sweetie? Hey! Don't hold her hand! And don't...he kissed her! Oh hell! Tell me I'm dreaming._  
_Tell me...wait a minute...look at that ratty hair. Look at that turquoise bracelet. Oh man, I'm having my very own out of body_  
_experience right here. My 'spirit' for lack of a better name, is watching Jake and my body... but I am 'up here'. I watch as the_  
_door to the room opens and Carlisle Cullen sticks his head in and speaks to Jacob. Jake goes out into the hall with Carlisle._

_Now's my chance, I am so getting outta here. I've got to get back into that body. Now...how? I look hard at my face...I 'zoom in'_  
_my view of it. I'm nose to nose...with myself. Oh, I'm trippin' now. One last push, and I'm in. My eyes pop open. I swivel my_  
_eyeballs all around taking inventory. I give myself an experimental wiggle. Everything works it seems, and nothing hurts. Now_  
_that's what I call advances in medical science!_

_But I really do need to move. I sit up, throw my legs over the edge and plop my feet on the cold linoleum floor. These tethers  
have got to go. Finger clothespin thingy, gone, IV needle,...yeech,...gone. Monitor sticky things...ouch, shit...good adhesive!...gone.  
Hah! I'm free! I can smell a HOT shower with my name written all over it._

Bella has gotten lucky. The nurses' station just happens to be deserted at that moment. One is on break, two are making rounds  
getting their vital stats from each patient in their charge, one is in the restroom, and one is watching the microwave re-heat her  
coffee. The quiet alarms that set off when the patient in 307 is unhooked, are unnoticed for the first few minutes.

JPOV

I parted company with Carlisle at the nurses' station. He said they would do the scan-the-brain thing in the morning. I leaned up  
against the hallway wall just outside Bella's room. I sucked down the soda and crackers, then just rested my head back on the  
wall for a bit. Finally, I moved to the door and went back in to check on my girl. I stood stock still and tried to understand what  
I was seeing. Wait, I was only gone a few minutes. My brain skipped a groove and I had to be hallucinating. The bed was empty.  
The IV needle and tube dangled off the edge of the bed, one droplet of bright red blood on the tip. The monitors were still on but  
the green lines no longer spiked. They were continuous across the screen, registering nothing, totally flat. I moved shakily to the  
bed until my legs could no longer hold me up. I fell to my knees, throwing my body and outstretched arms across the mattress.  
Oh my God, it was still warm! The sound that came from my lips was a keening wail. Then a soft, warm hand rubbed across my  
shoulder from behind me, caressing my neck and then running up through my hair.

"Jacob."

I turned and cast my eyes upward to behold the most beautiful sight of my existence. Big, shiny cocoa eyes gazed back at me.  
The raspberry lips curved upward into a heart-stopping smile. I buried my face in her belly and wrapped my arms around her hips.  
My Bells was back.

"Oh Jesus, Bella, I thought someone had taken you from me again! Oh Honey, are you alright? What were you doing? Come back to bed, Baby."

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Bella moved to sit on the edge of her bed, pulling Jacob from his knees to sit beside her. He embraced her lightly and worried his hands  
around her body to inspect the injured bits. There were none. He turned her so her back was to him and investigated her head through  
the wet, just washed hair. It was perfect. She had pulled the wraps from her ribs. There wasn't even any bruising. He turned her back  
to face him, gently placed his hands on either side of her face, and kissed her no longer parched lips. She reached her arms under his  
elbows and wrapped them as far as she could around his waist and pulled his body as close to her own as she could manage. Finally  
releasing her mouth, Jacob could only lay his head on her shoulder, against her neck and hold her body to him with one arm, while the  
other hand cradled the back of her head, pulling it to his own shoulder. Finally, he couldn't stand it any longer and simply pulled her  
into his lap, holding her to his chest like a precious child. After some time, who knows how long, Jacob sucked in a deep draught of her  
scent and loosened his hold on her.

"Honey, what's going on? All your injuries...they're...healed. It's only been like 36 hours."

Bella gave him a sheepish grin and shrugged her shoulders.

"Jake, I have no clue what happened. It was blindingly painful, then it was pitch dark all around me, then it was misty-foggy. I saw you  
get up from that hospital bed, walk over to this one and kiss the girl who was lying here. I saw Carlisle call you outside. I made myself  
move toward the girl's face, I saw that it was me. I pushed into me. Does that even make ANY sense at all?"

Jacob smiled at her but shook his head in disbelief.

"Stay with me here, Jake, I'm just calling 'em like I saw 'em. I opened my eyes. I was here in this bed. I felt...fine! Nothing hurt, everything  
worked, I could move everything the way it was supposed to move. While I was 'on the outside looking in', I saw what a mess I was. I HAD  
to get cleaned up, so...I unplugged everything and...it's all good Jake. I'm okay. I'm fine. Oh baby, don't cry, I'm here. I'm right here."

Jacob could only bury his face into her hair again; he held her while his body shook with the great cathartic sobs that burst from his chest.

"Oh Bells! I thought...oh Honey!"

Bella partially extracted herself from Jacob's grip so she could turn and fluff the pillows on the raised head of the bed. She scooted herself  
back into the pillows, stretched out her legs and opened her arms to him. With no other prompting whatsoever, Jacob lunged up to her,  
wrapping his arms around her and snuggling his head against her chest. She cradled his head in her arms and ran her fingers through his  
hair, dragging her nails along his scalp. Her wolf settled down with a contented rumble, with his ear planted firmly over his mate's heartbeat.

At the main information desk of Seattle Regional Medical Center, the receptionist on duty stares dumbly at the two pale people who have  
approached her and asked her for the room number of Miss Bella Swan.

"Swan...let's see...uh, yes, she's in a secure wing, no visitors except immediate family or listed friends. I have a list of allowed visitors to whom  
I can give out that information, no one else. What are your names please?"

"Jane and Aro Volturi."

"Yes Sir, one moment please while I check."

Neither of those names is on the list. Instead of giving out the room information, the lady at the information desk shoots an emergency text,  
alerting the attending physician via cellphone, that an intruder is attempting to gain access to a high security patient.

Shortly, off to the right from where they are standing, and high up on the third level balcony overlooking the main lobby, stands a tall, handsome,  
blond, white-coated doctor, his stethoscope stereotypically slung around his neck. His pale lips are pulled into a tight line and he watches through  
narrowed, angry, golden eyes as the shimmery-skinned interlopers attempt to dazzle and stupefy the receptionist. As they wait for her response, the doctor  
hits 'SEND' on his cellphone.


	16. Chapter 16

By His Side

Chapter Sixteen

CPOV

'Come on Jasper, pick up now.'

I fidgeted while I begged in my mind for the call to go through quickly. Mercifully, I heard the connection complete itself in  
less than two seconds.

"What do you need, Carlisle?"

"Jasper, get everybody loaded up and get to the Med Center in Seattle NOW! Aro and Jane are here. I've just seen them at the  
information desk. They're trying to get to Bella. Jacob is still with her. We can't allow them to get close to her again. I know this  
is a hard time right now for you, for our entire family, but we have to do this. Come straight to Bella's room when you get here,  
she's in 307. I'm going up there now and I'll be staying with them until you get here. Perhaps we can smuggle them out before  
Aro and Jane are able to locate them."

"We're already on the road, Carlisle. The first thing you should do is move Bella and Jake to another room, hell, another wing.  
Make sure they aren't in the room that the hospital computer says they are. Explain to them what's going on. We'll be there in  
less than an hour Carlisle. Don't try anything on your own, please."

"I know Jasper. Only if I have no other choice. Please hurry."

I hit end and scrolled down to another number I really hated to call. But it was necessary. I would rather it wasn't, but we were being  
ambushed and pushed into a dead end with no escape.

"Hello?"

"Hello, Billy? This is Dr. Carlisle Cullen. I need your help, don't talk, just listen. Bella and Jake are fine, but we have intruders here  
at the hospital who mean them harm. Can you send whatever available pack members are there to the hospital immediately?"

"What kind of intruders, Carlisle? Are they vampires?"

"Yes, they are, Billy, and at this point in time, I'm certain they are not the kind we want visiting Bella and Jake. I must go now  
Billy, I'm moving Bella and Jake to a different location from their listed room. Please send whoever you can, have them contact me  
when they arrive. My remaining family members are also on their way here. We'll need to work together again as we did in the battle  
with the newborns."

"They're on their way, Carlisle."

"Thank you Billy."

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Bella and Jacob had snuggled down into the pillows and blankets together, basking in the warmth and love of each other's embrace,  
and drifted into the first peaceful sleep either of them had experienced in a long time. Their sweet slumber was quietly but urgently  
interrupted when Carlisle swept into the room and quickly locked the door. He rushed to the bed and shook both of them to alertness  
and, pressing his finger to his lips, asked Jacob if he would carry Bella and follow him.

"Carlisle, I'm fine to walk under my own power."

Bella sat up and demonstrated her ease of movement to him.

"What's the problem, Carlisle?"

Jacob was instantly on high alert from the deep concern he could see in the Doctor's eyes.

"We have to get you two into another wing of the hospital, right now. Aro and Jane are here in the complex, they're looking for  
you Bella."

Bella's eyes wanted to bug out of their sockets and she slapped her hand over her mouth, too horrified to make any sound at all.  
Carlisle and Jacob pulled her to her feet. Carlisle reached into the closet of the room and retrieved the clothes Charlie had brought  
from home for her. She quickly dressed and the three of them raced madly down the corridor, dodging public spaces and leaping into  
a freight elevator. They finally emerged onto the roof of the parking deck on the opposite side from the Medical Center entrance and  
the location of Bella's room. Carlisle shoved the keys to his car into Jacob's hands and told him on which level he would find his car.  
Bella attempted to coerce Carlisle to come with them but he refused.

"Perhaps I can divert them, lead them on a wild goose chase so to speak. At the very least, I can slow them down, Bella. The two of  
you must go now and get as far away as you can, as fast as you can."

"As far away from where, Carlisle?"

The voice came from the shadows on the other side of the roof. Aro stepped out into the moonlight illuminating the open sections of the  
roof. Jane slipped out from behind him, a wicked smile breaking her features.

"My old friend Carlisle, and my not so old friend Bella! How lovely of you to bring the welcoming committee up here for us. It is a beautiful  
evening, is it not?"

"This is quite a surprise, Aro. You should have notified me that you and Jane were coming for a visit and I could have met you at the airport.  
Will the two of you join me in my car and I will gladly transport you to Forks?"

"That's awfully nice of you to offer old friend, but aren't these two charming children going to accompany us as well?"

"No, they'll be staying here waiting on their family members to arrive. Shall we go?"

"Not just now, Carlisle. Jane, do you see that dear Bella is still human? This was just as you reported, but not what we hoped is it?"

"No, it's not what we wished and longed for, Master."

Jacob moved forward until his shoulder was touching Carlisle's and Bella was snugged up behind the two of them.

"I think you should listen to Carlisle's suggestion that you accompany him back to Forks. I'm sure you're both anxious to see the rest of the Cullen family."

Aro and Jane exchanged a look and returned their red gazes back to Jacob, and smiled beatifically. Aro placed one hand around Jane, on the small of  
her back, and urged her to take a step or two toward the other party.

"Dear Jane, I realize little Bella is immune to your talents, but I will wager that the young man is not only vulnerable but simply burning for  
a demonstration."

Carlisle stepped out in front of Jacob and held his arms out from his shoulders. Before he could utter a word, Jane's stare fell on him and he was  
brought down first to his knees, then completely prone and writhing in agony, anguished moans erupting from his gaping mouth. Bella  
leaped out and fell to her knees next to Carlisle. She screamed at Jane to stop, which only caused the girl to smile and increase her  
punishment of the benevolent doctor. Bella turned back to Carlisle trying to decide how to minister to him.

She suddenly draped herself over his shoulders and head and his body went slack. His face registered surprise but the pain had  
ceased to course through him. As soon as he stilled, Bella lifted her body from him and he began to scream in pain again. Realization  
dawning on her face, she covered him again, again giving him respite from the attack.

Angered that she was being thwarted by Bella once more, Jane turned her assault on Jacob. He grabbed his temple with one hand and  
clutched at his heart with the other and went down with a moan of agony that tore into Bella's mind. Carlisle clutched Bella to his  
chest and hissed into her ear.

"Your ability to resist her power shielded me, protect Jacob now and I will rush them."

As Jacob jerked and arched his back on the concrete surface, his screams began to grow more tortured. Bella nodded at Carlisle, lifted her  
body from him and flung herself across Jacob's shoulders and head. In the same second, Jacob's body mercifully stilled and Carlisle raced  
across the rooftop toward Jane, and Jasper and Emmett descended upon Aro from behind.

Bella held Jacob's body close while he fought to regain some air in his lungs, his chest heaving.

As Jane parried and feinted with Carlisle, she attempted to attack Jasper and Emmett to protect Aro.

Suddenly, with a speed she didn't know she had, Bella threw herself toward the little blonde vampire. Bella wrapped her arms around Jane's  
head, not only effectively blocking her power, but reflecting it back upon her. Jane let out a blood-curdling scream that was quickly silenced  
as Bella released her and Paul's jaws closed around her head and twisted violently.

Jasper and Emmett held Aro's arms out to either side, stilling him. Carlisle faced him down and demanded to know where the rest of the Volturi  
were hiding in Seattle. At first Aro smirked rudely and refused to speak. Then Jacob approached him flanked by Paul, Quil and Embry.

Jacob leaned in until his nose was nearly touching the vampire leader. And then he phased. When Aro was being stared down by four horse-sized  
wolves, and being stretched side to side by two irate vampires, he began to splutter and spill.

"Only Caius and three guards are with us. The four of them are elsewhere in the hospital."

Carlisle narrowed his eyes at Aro.

"That's a very small contingent Aro, why did only six of you come from Volterra?"

Aro tried to back away from the dripping fangs exposed by Jacob's curled and snarling lips.

"We weren't coming here at first. The rest of our family in Volterra think we're in Paris. It was a spur of the moment decision.  
We thought we could surprise you and catch Bella unchanged and take her to Italy and finish the job ourselves. I promise you  
Carlisle, there are only the other four here with me and..." he hesitated and cast his gaze down toward the few remaining pieces  
of Jane.

Before he could finish the sentence, Jacob uttered a guttural whine making Jasper and Emmett take a step in opposite directions away  
from Aro. The huge burnished wolf stepped forward and pressed his muzzle into Aro's chest, causing the vampire's eyes to widen in fright.  
Jacob began to push downward on him and just as Aro began to lose his balance and fall backward, Jacob snapped his body in half with  
one vicious chomp, snatching the top half before it hit the ground and tearing the head off of the neck and shoulders.

At that moment, Caius and the three guards shot onto the roof from the top level of the parking deck. Jasper, Emmett and Carlisle  
moved into a defensive line with the four wolves flanking them. Caius' eyes were wide and terror-stricken at the sight of the monstrous  
lupine creatures. The sound made when the three guards rushed headlong toward the combined vampire/wolf force, must have been  
what two freight-trains ramming into each other head-on would have caused.

As that clash occurred, Caius attempted to rush at Bella, his arms outstretched to attack her. Jacob and Leah broke away from the main  
fray and descended on Caius just in front of Bella's position.

Total silence fell on the moonlit rooftop in less than 15 seconds. Within the next 30 seconds, Jasper, Emmett, Carlisle, Paul, Quil and Embry  
had gathered all the Volturi pieces and quickly disappeared into the darkness.

Jacob phased back to his human form and stood staring at Bella as she turned toward him after watching the edge of the rooftop where the  
others had leaped. Slowly at first they began to walk toward each other. They gained momentum and were nearly running as Bella launched  
herself into Jacob's arms. They each went to their knees, grasping and kissing and inhaling one another. Jacob wrapped his long arms all the  
way around Bella's body and held her to him tightly. With his face buried in her hair he gasped to her in a harsh whisper.

"Bells, you were amazing. You saved Carlisle and me and...all of us! I never knew you could move so fast."

Bella drew in a shuddering breath and giggled quietly.

"Jake, I don't know what all that means, and right now I don't think I care very much. Can we just please go home, now?"

Jacob smiled broadly at her and placed both hands on either side of her face.

"Honey, as soon as we find me some clothes, we can go anywhere you want."

They began to laugh at each other and it overflowed until they were nearly in hysterics when the rest of the group of fighters returned to  
the rooftop. Paul, Quil and Embry stared at their naked Alpha laughing with his imprint. Quil spoke up first.

"Daaaamn that's a burn. The first time Jake's imprint sees him buck-nekkid and she's laughing at him like a hyena. Our Alpha's gonna  
be scarred for life, Bella, cut him some slack girl!"

Jacob shot a glance at Embry, who immediately smacked Quil in the back of the head smartly.

"Oww! What? I'm just sayin'...I'm worried about Jake's mental and emotional health."

Bella and Jake stood and approached the three. She reached to Carlisle and tugged at his white coat. The doctor sloughed it off his shoulders  
and Bella stood behind Jacob and helped him into the lab coat. It was a snug fit, but it did the job temporarily. Bella then moved to Quil  
reaching up and grabbing his ear, pulling strongly down until her lips were right next to it.

"Quil, you must get used to the fact that Jake's mental and emotional and any other kind of health is in MY jurisdiction now. Basically, what  
I'm telling you, Brother, is BUTT OUT!"

Quil's eyes bugged and his mouth dropped open, but the strength of Bella's grip on his poor ear compelled him to respond with a simple, "Yes ma'am."

Bella released him and turned as Carlisle touched her elbow.

"Bella, I'd like to speak to you as soon as we return to Forks, and perhaps do some tests if you don't mind. I'm beginning to have a theory about you,  
your injuries, your healing, your speed, and all that blood you received from Jacob."

Bella and Jacob stared at each other then both turned to Carlisle. Jacob found his voice first.

"Doc, do you really think that's a possibility?"

"I think there's a chance there's a connection, Jacob."

"What are you two talking about?"  
Bella demanded an explanation.

Jacob wrapped her up in his arms again.

"Honey, after the pix.., I mean Alice...uh...jumped at you and you lost so much blood, the doctor in the little town where we took you said  
you were going to need a transfusion. All that he gave you ...came from me. I suppose Carlisle thinks you may have gotten some extra  
benefits from my wolf blood. I think you've already exhibited some beneficial side effects from the imprint that we weren't expecting, so  
an infusion of wolf blood may have had some extras too. Is that what you're thinking Carlisle?"

"That's exactly what I want to test for when we return to Forks, Jacob. With your permission, of course."

"You mean with Bella's permission, Doc...I'm technically just her boyfriend, you know, no official status as of yet."

He gave his mate a squeeze and a kiss on her temple. She hummed with pleasure.

"He's technically right, Carlisle," then turning back to Jacob her eyes shining brightly, "but I see no reason that  
that situation won't be remedied very soon after our return."


	17. Chapter 17

A/N: Thanks so much to all my readers. You make me so giggly happy. Thanks to my awesome Beta, Murfy (aka BEVO) I love you dearest one.

By His Side

Chapter Seventeen

La Push, First Beach

The driftwood tree had been in this same spot since the time of Ephraim Black. Its bleached skin was permanently coated with  
a layer of salt, deposited straight out of the moist air that rolled off the waves. The tree had been a silent witness to many bonfires  
and celebrations. It had also stood sentry over families on vacation, surfers seeking their thrills and a test of their skills. It had  
marked boundaries for more than a few football games. Today, the tree offered up its straight, smooth trunk as a resting place,  
a meditational bench, a secluded cuddling spot.

Jacob and Bella had occupied this spot before. Today was going to be a bit different. They were best friends, in love, imprinted,  
ready to explore their future. They had fought and come through victorious over a mountain of obstacles. She had divested herself  
of a fiancée and a future that would have literally been a dead end. He had taken his first steps toward becoming a man, a leader,  
a chief. From this point, after defeating numerous enemies, their battles and struggles would be faced together.

They sat side by side on the tree. Jacob had one arm protectively wrapped around Bella's shoulders, his hand clasping her upper  
arm. In his other hand, he held both of hers in her lap. Her head was snuggled into the dip just under his collarbone. The spot  
seemed custom-made to fit. They were custom-made to fit each other in every way.

Jacob lifted his cheek from the top of her head to place a soft, slow, warm kiss to her temple. She drew in a deep, cleansing breath  
and sighed in perfect contentment.

"Hey, Bells?"

"Hmmm?"

"I need to ask you something."

"Okay. Shoot."

"Where do you think we'll be a year from now?"

She raised her eyes to his, looking for amusement, teasing, fear, something, she didn't know what.

"I don't know Jake. Hadn't really thought about it, I guess. Hmmm, let's see. Together."

She smiled at him slyly and shoved up against him playfully.

"Well, jeez, I should hope so. That's not exactly what I was getting at."

"What are you getting at Jake. Just lay it on me, babe. Tell me what you want."

"Okay, here's the thing. Together, yes, definitely, but how? Aw, shit, why is this so hard?"

She turned more toward him and lifted his hand from her lap to hold it to her lips. She kissed his palm and placed his hand over her heart.

"Jake, what is it baby? It's just me. Bells. I'm here."

"Will you marry me?"

The crashing waves were alone in filling the air with noise. Somewhere far away, an eagle cried out in triumph at snagging a huge fish.

Bella was a deer caught in the headlights. She knew they'd be together forever. That was the easy as breathing part. She'd not gotten around  
to considering the fiddly bit details, like matrimony. They were still a little on the young side, though that hadn't stopped her from accepting  
Edward's proposal, had it? Jacob wasn't actually legal yet, but that wouldn't stop them from being together, it wouldn't affect their love,  
not one bit. She WAS legal. Why couldn't they do this now? She realized she was taking too long to answer when she met Jacob's troubled  
expression and his fearful eyes. They were glistening. She couldn't have that. But she could have him.

"Yes, Jacob. I would love to marry you."

He looked as if he might have swallowed his tongue.

"Really? You will?"

She was about to confirm her answer but she never got the chance. Jacob gathered her up in his arms and crushed her body against his own.  
He buried his face into her hair at the crook of her neck and sucked in the deepest draught of her scent that his lungs could hold. When Bella  
felt warm tears soaking into her hair, she reached up her hand to stroke his head and gently pull her nails through the strands to massage his  
scalp. God, he thought, it felt so good when she did that.

"I love you, Bells. So very much and with all that I am."

His voice was only a whisper and choked with emotion. His hand tenderly clasped the back of her head.

"And I love you, Jacob Black. You own my soul. All that I am is yours."

"Mine."

She trembled at the word.

He trembled at her response.

"Yours."

They pulled back from each other just enough to meet eyes. Their promises were already spoken. Only one question remained. Jacob asked first.

"When?"

Bella giggled just a little as she thought to herself, 'anxious much, Jake?' Sweet boy.

"I suppose...let's see...we should tell our dads, then as soon as you heal up from the shotgun blast after we tell Charlie...hmmmm...how about next Tuesday?"

Jacob laughed heartily at that. He finished up with a humming growl deep in his throat.

"If he misses, then how about Saturday?"

He lowered his head and touched his lips to hers as he put his nose tip to tip with hers.

"We can get the license first thing in the morning. My dad can perform the ceremony, anywhere, anytime."

"So basically you're thinking that Charlie will be doing his end zone dance over this, have I got that right?"

"Of course, Bells. You know he loves me. I don't think he'll even take the safety off the gun."

"Okay, Jake, if you're that certain of his and Billy's acceptance, I'll marry you Saturday."

"Seriously, Bells? Do you really mean it, honey?"

"Yep. I'm ready if you are."

Jacob leapt to his feet, grabbing Bella up in his arms, let out a war whoop and a howl, and began running down the beach toward the bonfire  
where the rest of the pack was congregated. Quil and Embry exchanged glances as all eyes turned toward the sound of the howling.

"Hmmm, looks like she said 'yes', whaddaya think Emb?"

"I'd say that sounds like a safe bet, Quil."

By the time Jacob and Bella arrived back into the circle of the firelight, the brothers and sister of the La Push Wolfpack had begun to shout and  
cheer and dance around the flames. Jacob joined in their dance, bouncing Bella in his arms along the way. She shrieked and laughed and marveled  
at how easily she felt like she was a part of this big family. She loved it. She raised her voice so they could all hear her.

"I hope you know what you're letting yourself in for, Jacob Black."

"Oh, HELL yeah, I know, baby, I know."

The next morning, Jacob and Bella were standing hand in hand at the door when the County Clerk's secretary unlocked the office door. They filled  
out the forms, produced the blood tests provided by Dr. Carlisle Cullen, paid the fee and nearly danced out to the sidewalk. Next stop was the  
Quileute Council meeting being held just before lunch at the Reservation Gathering Hall. They ran up the steps of the hall, slowing to a more stately  
and proper gait as they pushed through the doors into the inner sanctum.

The meeting was just getting underway, Old Quil presiding. The first order of business, moved to the top of the agenda by Chief Billy Black, was the  
approval and blessing of the impending nuptials of Jacob Ephraim Black and Isabella Marie Swan.

There were no dissenting votes.

Old Quil made a speech to the young couple about the importance of respect, to each other and to the tribe. They assured him they understood their  
responsibilities and laid it on a little thicker by asking him to help officiate at the ceremony with Chief Black. The 101 wrinkles on Old Quil's face  
moved like lines of soldiers into a huge curving smile. Billy's smug smirk lit up his face and his eyes twinkled.

As they left the Gathering Hall, Jacob wrapped Bella up in a warm, smothering hug. She nuzzled her face into the spot where his neck met his shoulder  
and opened her mouth to place a wet kiss there. Jacob shivered and blew out a hot breathy whisper into her ear.

"Baby, if you keep that up, I won't make it to Saturday night."

Bella lifted her head to meet his coffee eyes. He was staring back into hers, darkly, and smoldering hard. She smiled at first and then her mouth gaped open.

"Well...okay then...um...let's get over to Charlie's right away, then, shall we?"

"Yeah, let's do that."

So, Charlie sat there. He was very still and very quiet for a very long time. Jacob and Bella were holding their collective breath. They had been very  
solemn and earnest, explaining to him how they felt about each other, how they had talked it over at great length and made promises to one another.  
They told him how they had promised each other to finish school, get jobs, work hard, and take care of each other. They hinted that it just might be a  
done deal but they wanted his blessing anyway. Charlie took a long swig from his bottle of Vitamin R. He leveled a gaze at Jacob.

"Son, what about starting a family? You know you're both way too young for that, don't you?"

"Absolutely Charl...Chief. We will be careful, I promise."

Bella was mortified.

"Dad! We're asking for your blessing for getting married! Everything else is kind of personal and in the future!"

"Oh alright, Bells. I get it. None of my business if you're fooling around anyway, you're of age now. I can't guard you forever, can I?"

"Dad! Oh, my God!"

How many shades of red are there?

"Chief, my dad will be performing the ceremony at a bonfire on First Beach...tomorrow."

At that point Charlie wasted some of his beer spitting it across the room.

"Tomorrow?! Boy, has Bella trapped you into this?"

"Dad!"

"What? What do you mean tra...? Oh! No Charlie, we don't HAVE to get married. We WANT to get married."

"Okay, enough, Dad. Listen to me, Charlie, look at me. God, I can't believe I'm having to tell you this. Jacob and I have not made it to THAT  
stage of our relationship, okay? We're 'saving ourselves for marriage',... Jesus!... wept!"

Jacob was going to pop a vein if he couldn't get outside soon to fall on the ground consumed with laughter.

Charlie was just going to pop a vein. He was trying for the record number of shades of red himself. He let out a long breath and a low whistle.

"Okay, kids. I think I'm getting the picture. You don't need my permission and blessing... but...you have them. What time do I need to be at the  
beach? And Bells? YOU are calling your mother, you hear me?"

Bella slumped against Jacob. She was exhausted.

"You've got a deal, Dad."

Jacob and Bella stepped down off Charlie's porch, walked down to the street and got into Jacob's Rabbit. Jacob was giggling and snorting  
uncontrollably. Bella was banging her head on the window of the passenger door.

In the house behind them, Charlie Swan was doing an extended version of the end zone dance.

In the hematology lab at Forks Hospital, Dr. Carlisle Cullen was hiding in a corner, curled around a microscope like he was copying from a  
cheat-sheet for a test. He continuously glanced over his shoulder, making sure his anxiety over someone stumbling up on his work was  
unfounded.

He desperately needed to get home to his office lab. His personal equipment was much more state-of-the-art compared to the 'scopes and  
centrifuges at the hospital, but he had a shift to complete and since Jacob and Bella had gotten him to certify blood tests for them, he had  
slides he was dying to look at.

He just couldn't wait until he got home, so here he sat, hunched over the primitive scope, studying the blood samples of the two children  
the "old fashioned way."

He adjusted the fine focus on Jacob's sample and made a mental note of the subtle differences between his blood and a normal human. A  
human doctor would probably never notice it. He couldn't equate it to something like sickle-cell, but the shapes were just a hair off. They  
weren't exactly the same shape as normal red blood cells. But they were close enough.

He switched the slides. He had gotten lucky at Bella's expense and misfortune. She had been in the emergency room here so often, there was  
ample data documenting her blood cell structure, before she received any of Jacob's blood. He studied this slide only briefly. It was perfectly  
normal, unadulterated, human O-negative blood, the same type as Jacob's.

That was a bit of serendipity there. No cross-matching had been available in Canada. Jacob's O-neg was a lucky break for the small-town doctor  
who was truly overwhelmed with the crew that invaded his village in the wee hours of the morning. A bleeding and unconscious Bella along  
with five or six huge Native Americans, half-naked, well, most of them, in the dark of night, begging for help, and Jacob nearly wild with fear,  
was surely something the townspeople would talk about for years to come. It would likely pass into legend as time went by.

Carlisle next placed the slide with Bella's sample from yesterday afternoon under the clips and moved the fine adjustment on the microscope.  
He stared for several seconds before lifting his head, rubbing his eyes, something he would never do otherwise, and returning his gaze to the  
eyepiece.

If he could write an article for any journal of medicine and not be locked into a padded cell afterward, he would. What he was looking at shouldn't  
be possible.

Was it because her type was O-negative also?

Or would have this happened anyway?

Bella Swan's blood had taken on the identical characteristics in the red cells as what Jacob's blood possessed.

Right here was the proof.

Bella Swan was becoming wolf-like.

The implications were staggering. This might manifest itself in any one of a thousand permutations.

One thing Carlisle decided he needed to do immediately, was obtain blood samples from the rest of the pack.

Oh dear.

How was he going to ask THAT favor?


	18. Chapter 18

A/N: Thank you to all my lovely readers and reviewers. You are all wonderful and I love and live for you.  
Special thank you to my sweet Beta, Murfy (AKA Bevo) you're the sun in my sky, babe.

All these characters and settings belong to Stephenie Meyer. This plot deviation is all mine.

**By His Side**

Chapter Eighteen

**BPOV**

It's absolutely amazing how involved organizing a SMALL wedding actually is. But with Jacob's help, along with his Pack and the Imprints,  
and Charlie and Billy, by golly, we did it. Sue Clearwater and Emily were making food for the lot of us. They did this on a regular basis for  
the Pack, so it was a piece of cake for them. Speaking of cake, I couldn't believe this, but Charlie, yes, MY DAD, went to a bakery, ordered  
and then picked up and delivered, a wedding cake. Picture that for a moment, if you will. Bless him, Charlie was surprising me every time I  
turned around.

Of course organizing the bonfire was the purview of the Pack. They handled that always and repeatedly, so no biggie there. Billy and Old Quil  
were handling all of the props and accessories for the ceremony. They explained it to Jacob in great detail the night before the day of the wedding,  
and he clued me in to my responsibilities when we communicated that night. We spoke through our mind connection, since I refused Jake  
permission to climb in my window that night.

_ "Oh come on, honey, you can't do this to me!"_

_ "Jacob Black, stop whining, I can and I will. You know you can't see me until the moment I set foot on the beach for the ceremony. How will_  
_ my wedding ensemble be a surprise for you otherwise?"_

_ "But, baby,...I'll love your ensemble no matter when I see it,...please?"_

Those puppy-dog eyes frequently worked on me, but not this time. Is it cheating because I couldn't see his eyes? In another break with tradition  
and expectations, Leah Clearwater had accompanied Angela and me on a wedding clothes shopping trip. I was totally at a loss as to what would  
be appropriate for a beach/bonfire wedding. I certainly wasn't going to wear a fancy bridal gown and I needed help and second opinions. The three  
of us put our heads together and gave ourselves wrinkles worrying what I should wear, not to mention what Jacob and Embry, the best man, should  
wear.

Just to continue putting tradition on its ear, I asked Leah to be my maid of honor. To my surprise and delight, she agreed saying,

"Swan, I'd be honored as long as you don't tell anyone and let me see the looks on those idiot's faces when I walk up to the altar!"

I couldn't have liked it more.

We agonized for hours about clothing, then suddenly Leah leapt to her feet knocking over her chair in Charlie's kitchen.

"I've got it!" she cried out.

She hunkered back down over the table and threw her arms around Angela and me. The whispering began in earnest at that point. The shopping  
trip commenced soon after.

Quil's imprint, little Claire Young, would be our flower-girl. She would be the only other attendant in the wedding party. We found an adorable purple  
sundress for her and paired it up with a silver basket that would be filled with purple flower petals that she would scatter around the beach.  
Claire was so excited at being invited to join the festivities. She was practicing with Quil throwing little pieces of paper that he had cut up especially  
for her. He had dumped the pieces in an old cowboy hat for Claire to carry while she carefully picked out small handfuls to toss onto Quil's head, mostly.  
He said she'd be ready and raring to go for the ceremony.

The clothing for the rest of us would be simple, yet non-traditional and as dignified as a beach wedding could manage, perfect for the personalities  
involved.

We purchased the clothing for Jacob and Embry and sent it to the Black's house by Charlie. It didn't take long for Jacob's name to show up on my cellphone screen.

"Hey baby, what's up?"

"Hey honey. Ummmm,...Bells, I've got a question."

I suppressed my giggle as best I could.

"Sure Jake, what do you need?"

"Well, that's exactly what I'm asking honey, is the wardrobe for Embry and me that Charlie brought over...well, ...is everything here?"

"Yeah baby, everything you guys need is in those boxes. There's one with your name and one with Embry's name. Does everything fit okay?"

"Yeah sweetie, it all fits just fine. Are you sure we don't need anything else?"

"Positive, baby. You're both going to be so handsome! I can't wait!"

There was a delay before he spoke again. He promised I could do whatever I wanted for the wedding-part and he and Embry and Billy and Old Quil  
would handle the ceremony-part. I was loving his hesitation and how I could practically hear him biting his tongue.

"Okay, honey. As long as you're happy. That's all I need to know."

"Sounds great. Love you, babe."

"I love you too honey."

I snapped my cell shut and Leah and Angela and I fell over, holding our sides and snorting in a very unladylike fashion. Jacob was learning fast that  
I was ready to meet the challenge head-on.

A beach wedding was not the most conventional, but we would make it memorable.

Leah made a quick trip to the Rez and back with a delivery for me from Old Quil, and we all kicked back with a glass of wine. Our job was done!  
How easy was that? I'm gonna be a wedding planner.

**JPOV**

My marriage to Bella would be a simple, traditional Quileute ceremony, or so I thought. It would basically be a bonfire for the Pack and a few other guests.  
The Tribal Council members would all be there, not just my Dad and Old Quil. The imprints would be with us, of course. A couple of Bella's friends from  
Forks High and we'd have ourselves a party.

I asked my Beta, brother, best friend, Embry to be my Best Man. He was moved to silence when I hit him with the request. We locked our forearms  
once he could speak and he said,

"I'll be there, my brother."

Rebecca and Renee were the only family members who couldn't be with us. Bella was a little sad, hell, so was I, but we were both trying to be realistic  
about it, neither of them could come so far on such short notice.

With the rest of the Pack and the imprints and other family handling the food and fire, Embry and I figured we had it made in the shade and could kick  
back until the next day.

Then Charlie arrived at my house with three large boxes. He stuck his head in the front door where Emb and I were watching TV.

"Hey boys, come on out here and give me a hand will you? I have a carload of special deliveries."

We headed out to his cruiser and each of us carried in a box. Charlie put his down on the kitchen table.

"That's the cake, fellas. I think it's okay for you to look, but if you touch, even the tiniest of tastes, I'm still packing cause I'm still on duty."

He patted the holster on his gun belt and smirked at both of us. I gave him a rueful smile.

"Don't worry Charlie, we won't touch it. The things that Bella would do to us if we did, would make being shot pale in comparison. We would need your  
protection if there was a flower or bird out of place."

We did peek, though. Embry inhaled so deeply, I thought he'd pull the frosting right off.

"Damn, Charlie, thanks. You did real good. That looks like a real wedding cake! Oww! Jake, what the?"

"It IS a REAL wedding cake you doofus! Look at it! Flowers, birds, bells, hah! Bells, cute Charlie, I get it! If that isn't a wedding cake, I don't know  
what it!"

Charlie seemed gratified. He leaned toward us and lowered his voice conspiratorially.

"I ordered a little something extra for us guys. The cake inside...is red velvet/rum cake!"

"Oh MAN! Bells is gonna freak when we cut into it! What a great surprise Charlie!"

"I hope so, Jake. This is sudden and fast, but you kids have been through so much lately and frankly, I couldn't be happier for you, and I think you  
both deserve this. Just don't forget to be careful with my little girl, RIGHT?"

"Understood Charlie. You've got my word."

He motioned to the other two boxes we had carried in for him. They were not wrapped like they might be presents. And they were a little on the small side.  
One box had my name on it, and one was labeled for Embry.

"Bells asked me to get these to you guys right away. She says it your 'wardrobe' for the wedding. I'm supposed to wait till you try them on and let her  
know if they fit and everything."

We each pulled the lid off of our assigned box and then stood back a half-step and looked at each other, then back at Charlie. I reached into my box  
and pulled out my wedding outfit.

Black jeans.

Period.

There was nothing else in the box.

Embry put his hand into his box and took out...black jeans...and a white T-shirt.

That was it.

There were no jackets, no ties, no shirt for me, no socks or shoes.

Was she serious?

How could I get married in a pair of jeans, and nothing else?

Bella had to be playing a practical joke on us. I grabbed my cell and pushed the speed dial button for my Bells. That was perhaps one of the most unhelpful  
and non-informational conversations I had ever had with anyone. But Embry and I agreed, I was whipped, I was a puppy, and I would do whatever Bells  
wanted me to do.

And if I had to, he did too.

So there!

**Sunset on First Beach, It's Time for The Ceremony**

The bonfire was laid and ready to be lit. There were tables everywhere lining the back edge of the beach, laden with more food than had ever been prepared  
for any celebration here before. There were huge tubs with drinks iced down.

THE CAKE had its own table with guards. Nobody was going to molest that confection before its time. Rachel and Angela had proudly stood up for that  
duty. Charlie thanked them and offered them armed assistance should they require it.

Chairs were provided for a few guests, but woven grass mats were spread all around the open area beside the fire pit. The main group of guests would  
sit on the beach, just like in old times.

There were a few torches stuck in the sand creating an aisle leading toward the water.

Jared and Quil carried Billy's chair out to the end of the rows of torches and got him situated facing the fire pit but some distance back. Old Quil soon  
joined him. They both wore their own families' heirloom ceremonial shirts and leggings. They were hand-smoothed deerskin and ornately beaded and  
painted. Billy's shirt was fringed, with black beads studded on each strand. A stylized wolf was painted in black down the center of the back and his  
leggings were black with red beads stitched thickly down each side. Billy's long salt and pepper hair was shining and flowing around his shoulders.

The Atera family costume was natural tan with dark green evergreens painted across the back of the shirt, and down the sides of the leggings. An eagle  
graced the front of the shirt. The beads on Old Quil's outfit were glossy white which quite set off his white hair falling across his shoulders. They both  
looked dignified and regal.

At a nod from Billy, Jacob and Embry made their way down the aisle of torches to take their places in front of Billy and Old Quil.

There were a few whispers, a gasp or two, maybe even a giggle.

Jake was wearing black jeans, and nothing else. The setting sun turned his skin to gold and highlighted his sculpted muscles. It shone on his black hair illuminating the highlights to blue. He looked magnificent.

Embry was wearing identical black jeans, and a crisp white T-shirt. He was as handsome as his brother beside him.

They were both barefoot.

There was no music. The seagulls and the Pacific's waves provided the soundtrack. The call of an eagle was heard. An answering howl of a wolf far away  
seeped out of the forest.

After a moment or two, sweet, little Claire proceeded down between the torches in her jewel-tone purple sundress. She carried a silver basket filled with  
purple iris petals. Young Quil watched her from behind the torch row, encouraging her with winks and waves, his pride overflowing. Claire's little hand  
drifted in and out of the basket in slow-motion, floating handfuls of petals along her path across the sand. Once Claire had spread her flowers all the way  
to Jacob and Embry's feet, she smiled shyly at them and they each leaned down to kiss her cheeks. She made her way over to Quil and sat down on the  
sand beside him.

From a copse of evergreens close to the edge of the beach, hidden from everyone's view until this moment, Leah Clearwater stepped out and made her way  
gracefully down the path outlined by the torches. There were a few more quiet whispers and the majority of the Pack froze stock still. Leah spent so much  
of her time in a hastily thrown on sundress that was usually dirty from being tied to her hind leg, most of the other wolves had never really seen her totally  
cleaned up and looking this bewitching.

Her silky black hair just skimmed her shoulders and one side was held back with a barrette covered with a tiny sprig of pine. The vivid green of the pine  
needles blended beautifully with Leah's emerald eyes. She was wearing the simplest outfit, striking against her golden skin, white jeans and a white blouse  
that echoed Embry's T-shirt.

Barefoot too, she carried a small rolled-up ceremonial cloth. It was white and ornately painted with ancient symbols. It was secured by a parchment ring  
and a sprig of pine. When she reached the altar, she lifted the roll toward Billy and then Old Quil. They acknowledged her presentation and then she handed  
the cloth to Jacob.

He gave Leah a puzzled look but she smiled and winked at him and cast her eyes over to Billy. Jacob glanced at his father and received a nod of comfort  
and a look of "just wait, hang onto it for now".

Then all eyes turned together back to the tree line. And there she was.

Jacob drew in a hissed breath and his eyes widened to saucers.

The rest of those gathered shared his expression.

Bella stepped gently down onto the beach and moved through the torch aisle, her hand resting atop Charlie's arm. She looked like a cross between a forest  
nymph and an angel. In keeping with the rest of her wedding party, she was barefoot and she wore white jeans, but her blouse was a vision in gossamer. A flowing,  
off-the-shoulder drape of barely-there white silk caught the waning rays of the sunlight and sparkled like diamonds. The hem just skimmed the top of her jeans,  
but the sleeves were formed of cascading scarves of silk and soft fringe that swung to her hips.

Her hair was partially down around her shoulders and down her back, softly waved and catching the sunlight reflecting its red highlights. The sides of it were  
pulled up and back and caught at the crown of her head with a spray of long leaf pine needles. She appeared to be a woodland queen gliding to her coronation  
and her smile was shy and sweet.

In her hand, Bella carried a rolled up cloth, similar to the one Leah had presented to Jacob, only larger. It too was elaborately painted with symbols significant  
to the Quileute people.

As they reached the altar, Charlie stepped to her side, gave her a lingering, soft kiss on her cheek, and reached for Jacob's hand. He grasped it tightly,  
conveying again with just a look, his warning to take care of his baby, then without any words spoken, placed Bella's hand and Jacob's together.

Bella's eyes glistened as she looked up at her man. And he was just that. His tender age was no longer reflected in his face or his bearing. He gazed lovingly  
down at his bride as they turned to attend Billy and Old Quil.

Billy spoke first.

"These two children of our people have agreed to be joined in the ways of our ancestors. They express their respect and honor for the Quileute history.

Isabella Marie Swan, you hold in your hands your tribute for your husband, please present it to him."

Bella gently unrolled the cloth that she held and revealed a warrior's beaded breastplate. It was woven with strips of deerskin and was completely covered  
with brilliant red and glossy black beads in a myriad of shapes and designs. There were eagle feathers attached to each end of each string of the deerskin.

Understanding and awe bloomed on Jacob's face as he knelt in front of Bella.

She stepped partially behind him, laid the beaded garment across his chest and secured the strings behind his neck and waist. She leaned to kiss him on  
each cheek and he rose again to his feet.

"Jacob Ephraim Black, you hold in your hands your protection for your mate, please bestow it upon her."

Jacob unrolled his ceremonial cloth.

Nestled inside was a group of feathers on tiny clips.

As Billy described the purpose and meaning of each one, Jacob lightly fastened them into Bella's hair on either side of her face at the temples.

"The eagle's feather is Jacob's courage to defend and protect Bella. The gull's white feather is the purity of his love for her. The red hawk's feather is his strength  
that he gives to her. The owl's feather is the wisdom they will gain on their life's journey together."

Jacob and Bella turned back to face Billy and Quil.

Old Quil began to speak to them in his tribe's oldest tongue. Only a few of the gathering understood the meaning of the words, but he spoke of the Spirit  
Warriors, of Taha Aki, and of the future Chief of their tribe and the woman who would stand with him as he led his people.

After just a few minutes, Billy and Old Quil both raised their hands skyward and blessed the union of two young people before them. As they spoke their  
blessing, Bella and Jacob turned to each other and spoke their own vows to each other silently as they held each other's hands.

_ "Bella, I love you. All that I am, all that I have, is yours. I will protect you and care for you and our family until the end of my days."_

_ "Jacob, I love you. My heart, mind and soul belong to you. I give you my promise to stand strong by you and our family as long as I draw breath."_

Together they lifted a torch from the sand and lit the driftwood in the fire pit.

The only words they spoke to each other aloud, were whispered in unison.

"Until my heart stops beating."


	19. Chapter 19

A/N: I hope all of you wonderful babies can forgive my erratic posting schedule. I have no excuse or reason, just an apology.  
Thank you for reading and reviewing.  
Special thanks to Lady of Spain. I do admire you so.  
Thanks to my Beta, Murfy, I love you sweetie, you are awesome!  
I do not own Twilight.

Well, they are hitched. Now let's party and play a bit, shall we?

By His Side

Chapter Nineteen

As Bella and Jacob held the torch in their hands together, he wrapped his arm around her waist to steady her as they leaned in to light the  
bonfire. The gathered family and friends began to rise to their feet cheering and clapping. Embry and Leah joined hands and stood behind the  
newlyweds, beaming like new parents.

After the flames began to catch up, Jacob turned to Bella and cradled her face in his hands. He held her gaze for several moments before  
gently pressing his mouth to her lips in the sweetest but most passionate kiss he could give her. They held the kiss long enough for the  
audience to become restless and begin to hoot and whistle.

As Bella's knees began to give away underneath her, Jacob bent his knees and wrapped his arms around her bottom, lifting her easily,  
never breaking the kiss. Eventually, he let go with one arm to swat away the annoying buzzings that he pretended were around their  
heads. Bella had wrapped her arms around his neck and threaded her fingers into his hair to hold on for dear life. Finally coming up for  
air, Jacob smiled against Bella's lips and mumbled in his deepest, softest voice.

"Now...you really ARE...MINE."

Bella sucked in the oxygen she had been lacking and whispered back to him.

"And guess who YOU belong to now?"

Jacob laughed out loud at that and danced all the way around the bonfire circle with her, Embry and Leah followed, as did most of the wolves  
and imprints present. Finally, Bella was able to stop her own laughter long enough to bite down on Jacob's earlobe. That got his attention. He  
stopped in his tracks and narrowed his eyes at her, a low growl coming from deep in his throat.

"Is there something I can do for you Mrs. Black?"

"Yes, husband, there certainly is."

"And what might that be, wife?"

"You can put me down just anytime now."

"Now why in the world would I want to do that?"

"Ummm...so we can cut the cake, continue the reception, take some pictures, eat all this lovely food, tell everyone we love them and  
goodbye,...and get started on our honeymoon. How's that for an agenda?"

Jacob's mouth hung open for only a second or two before he sprang into action. Instead of putting Bella on her feet, he hitched her up into  
his arms and began running toward the table with the cake on it.

"Out of the way! Make a hole! Comin' through! Step aside! There's a cake to be cut and eaten!"

They presented an imposing force charging across the beach and everyone did indeed step aside, mostly in self-preservation.

The cake was cut, pieces stuffed into the bride and groom's mouths, pictures were taken and huge quantities of food and drink were consumed.

A boom box was produced for music and the new couple danced, together, barefoot, in the moonlight, arms around each other tightly.

The celebration continued into the wee hours, but the happy couple missed a large portion of it.

After a quick change of clothes (and the addition of some shoes) Jacob and Bella were escorted from Billy's cabin by Charlie, Billy and a group of  
wolves and imprints. They returned to the bonfire where the entire group threw more flower petals over their heads. As Jacob and Bella held  
hands and ducked under the avalanche of flowers, they ran toward the parking lot at the edge of the beach. Charlie and Billy were waiting for  
them there. Bella and Jacob pulled up short in front of them and stared in shock at what their fathers were standing next to. Charlie spoke first.

"We talked it over kids, and Billy and I weren't entirely certain Jacob's Rabbit would make the trip safely. We were completely certain your truck  
wouldn't make it, Bells. So your honeymoon in Sequim will be safe and worry-free, this limousine will take you to your cabin and pick you  
up next week and bring you back home. Now, before you start to object, don't. It's our wedding gift to you. Renee and Phil have covered the  
cabin at the beach and Jacob, the cabin's kitchen is pre-stocked with food."

The couple each had tears glistening and as Bella launched herself into her father's arms, Jacob knelt beside Billy and wrapped him in a trademark bear hug.

Amidst cheering, leering, hooting and hollering, (there were some whistles in there too) Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Black climbed into the Lincoln limo  
and waved goodbye from the sunroof until they could no longer see their friends and families.

"Wow, Bells, can you believe that? Our 'rents are awesome!"

"I know! What would we do without them?"

As Jacob dove across the seat and tackled Bella with a barrage of kisses, he said, "we'd have to sit up straight, behave ourselves and drive instead of doing THIS!"

The HEAVY makeout session lasted almost all the way to Sequim. It was only 75 miles.

The little log cabin sat right on the beach overlooking the Straits of Juan de Fuca. From their porch they could see Mount Baker and the Cascade Mountain  
Range as well as the Dungeness Lighthouse. The sun would rise over the Cascades and set behind the Olympic Mountain Range and the number of bald  
eagles in the area was astounding.

Now Bella and Jacob didn't really notice much of any of that until about their fourth day of wedded bliss. The reason was very simple. They were young,  
in love, newly married and both virgins anxious to see what all the fuss was about.

When the limousine deposited them in front of the cabin, the driver carried their bags in. Jacob carried Bella over the threshold and headed straight to  
the master bedroom. Suddenly, they were both very much teenagers. They barely yanked off each other's clothes without shredding them and then their  
lips were glued together as Jacob wrapped Bella in his arms and leaped onto the wonderfully huge king-sized bed.

But just as suddenly, Jacob went stock still and broke their breathless kiss.

"Bells, we have to stop!"

Bella was speechless. Jacob was putting on the brakes?

"Jake? What's wrong?"

"There's not a single thing wrong, Bells. But I want this first time to be special and memorable, for both of us. And I want to be gentle with you baby. C'mere, honey."

Jacob and Billy had had a long, serious discussion last night. Jacob wanted to be careful with his new bride and he decided his father, rather than a  
Pack brother, would give the best advice. And Billy did just that for his son who was becoming a man.

Jacob began to stroke her hair back from her face and placed myriad soft, sweet kisses on her cheeks, her eyelids, her chin and her lips. He held her  
in his arms gently and snuggled her into his chest. Remembering something from the cabin's brochure, Jacob scooted off the bed and carried Bella into  
the master bath. Without releasing his loving hold on her, he started the water into the oversized tub and scooped in several handfuls of bath beads  
from the canister on the vanity. The fragrances of lavender and jasmine clouded the air with their heady steam.

He stepped over to Bella's overnight bag and plucked out a hair clip. He twisted her hair onto the crown of her head and secured it himself. Bella's  
shining eyes grew wider with each moment of his tender ministrations, accompanied by soft, whispered words of love.

Constantly stroking and kissing, Jacob stepped into the warm, sweet-scented water and cuddled Bella close in his lap. Their first time was timid, shy,  
sweet and unrushed. The warmth of the water helped ease Bella's first tremulous steps toward becoming a woman. With Jacob's tender patience  
and loving embraces, they made sweet love long after the water had cooled.

Once out of the bath, they took turns drying each other's bodies with big, fluffy towels and continued the union of their hearts and their souls through  
much of the night. They finally slept, exhausted, sated, warm and safe, piled up like puppies until long after the morrow's sun had reached its zenith.

~BHS~

On another side of the world, a tall, quiet, dark-haired vampire sat alone on an Italianate style throne. There once were two others. They had occupied  
the two additional chairs in the marble room for many centuries. They were no longer here. The others had taken a simple trip to Paris, a holiday if you  
will. There were a few guards that had gone with them. Jane had tagged along because she loved France. She always said that she loved the French.

They were to have returned in only four days. It had been four weeks. There had been no word, no contact of any kind. Marcus wasn't overly concerned  
during the first two weeks. He knew Aro to be capricious in nature. He could have set off for Madrid on a whim and Jane would have followed him  
anywhere. Caius may have contacted some of the Volturi ambassadors who were scattered around Europe. He liked to stay connected with their  
network of information around the globe. But four weeks on and Marcus was wondering about the fates of his comrades. It was uncharacteristic,  
especially of Aro, to stay out of contact for this length of time.

Marcus summoned Heidi and Alec. He set them the task of finding the rest of his triumvirate. This had gone on long enough.

"Take a dozen of the guard with you. Check the network. You may have to leave Europe, extend your search further afield. Be thorough.  
I must know where they are. I must know what they are doing. You will not fail in this task."

Alec had a particularly vested interest in this search. He needed to know Jane's whereabouts. It was vital to his survival that they not exist apart for  
long periods of time. More than a month's separation was beginning to erode his gift for it was tightly bound to hers. His sister's ability complemented  
his own. They were a Yin and Yang balanced attack force. Without proximity, their talents became shadowy and watery, less effective, especially his.  
No, he would not fail to find Jane.


	20. Chapter 20

A/N: Thanks to you, dear readers. Your kind words are a balm to my soul. Fasten your seatbelts.  
Thanks and love to my awesome Beta, Murfy. I love you doll.  
Disclaimer: All characters that are Twilight related are the property of Stephenie Meyer.

By His Side

Chapter Twenty

The Pack meeting had not lasted long. Embry was standing in for Jacob, as his Beta. Light patrols were continuing as a matter of  
simple routine. There had been no incidents of nomads crossing their land for some time and the Cullens and Volturi were both  
still reeling from the decimation to their numbers. At least, this was the general thought of the Pack and the Council. The Cullen  
clan had been keeping to themselves quite efficiently, maintaining an extremely low profile. They had indicated to Embry that they  
were considering leaving the area permanently but he had insisted that they speak with Jacob first. Carlisle was the only physician  
on the planet who could safely treat any extensive injuries the wolves might incur. He was the only one who knew and could be  
trusted to safeguard the secret of their existence, and the only doctor with the strength and expertise to handle any medical  
requirements that a super huge, super strong wolf/shape shifter might have. His assistance during the recent injuries to Jacob  
and Bella had been invaluable. Embry wanted him to consult with Jacob before making any type of far-reaching decision.

There was a fine line between tolerating and needing.

Jacob and Bella were due back from their honeymoon today and the Pack was planning a welcome home bonfire for tomorrow night.  
This would be a much more laid-back affair than the wedding reception had been. It would be Pack and imprints only and just food  
for that group, even though that would still require enough to feed a battalion. The couple was scheduled to be home in the late  
afternoon and was planning to spend the night at the Swan residence with their fathers. Charlie and Billy planned to keep this reunion  
as low-key as possible. Just dinner and visiting in the living room with a ballgame on the TV for entertainment would fill the evening.  
Of course they were expecting an update on how the honeymoon went, but only Billy was excited about getting details. Charlie wanted  
to know as little as possible about the beginnings of his daughter's married life. As long as she was happy, that was all he needed to know.

The long, black limousine pulled up in front of Charlie's house about 5:30. Billy waited on the porch while Charlie ran down to the curb to  
pull his baby out of the back seat.

"Welcome home, Kiddo. Boy, are we glad you're back."

He had grabbed Bella by her wrists and hauled her out headfirst and into a big hug. He wrapped her up and squeezed to make sure she was  
back, really here, and safe. Jacob climbed out behind where Bella's feet had disappeared out of the back seat of the limo and stood watching  
the father and child reunion. He cast a glance up to the porch at his own father and raised a questioning eyebrow. Billy lifted his shoulders  
imperceptibly and gave a slight shake to his head. Jacob supposed the last few weeks of trauma to his daughter had caused Charlie to be  
overprotective and nervous about her health and welfare. After several moments of holding Bella with her feet dangling off the ground,  
Charlie relented and lowered her back down to a standing position. Releasing her and backing away a step, he gave Jacob a sheepish look  
and ducked his head as he stuck out his hand to his new son-in-law.

"Sorry Jake. Uhmm...welcome back. Did you kids have a nice trip?"

Jacob firmly grasped Charlie's hand and returned the greeting as he steadied a slightly woozy Bella.

"Thanks Charlie. Yeah, we had a great time, didn't we Bells? The cabin and the beach and the mountains were really beautiful."

He jerked his head back toward the limousine where the chauffeur was removing their bags from the trunk.

"And thanks again for the nifty ride. It made the trip just that much more fun."

He finished with a grin up at his dad. Billy nodded and returned him a knowing smile. Bella finally found her voice.

"Absolutely Dad. We had a great time. We took lots of pictures. Let's head inside and we can give you a show and tell."

Jacob grabbed up their luggage and followed Bella and Charlie up to the porch. Bella gave Billy a sweet kiss on the cheek and he gave  
her hand a squeeze.

"Welcome home, daughter. I'm proud to finally be able to call you that."

"Thanks Billy. I really like the sound of that."

They went through the door and Jacob bounded up the stairs to deposit their things in Bella's room where they would be staying tonight.  
He hurried back downstairs and strode over to his father to wrap him up in a warm embrace.

"Hey, Dad."

"Hey, Son. Glad to have you guys back."

"Glad to be back. Tell me what's been going on while we were away."

Jacob looked intently into Billy's eyes, conveying his real meaning. Had there been any trouble while he and Bella had been away? Any  
leech-type trouble?

"Embry wants you to call him soon as you can. I think he has a bit of news to report, nothing major, but interesting."

Jacob nodded then turned his thoughts to Bella.

_"Hey Honey, I need to get out back and phase for a short while, can you 'take care' of our dads on your own for a bit?"_

Bella was listening to Charlie rattle on about how many times Renee had called him since the wedding, but Bella 'heard' Jacob and  
thought back to him.

_ "Sure Baby, go out and 'check' on my truck. Tell the Pack I said hey."_

_ "Good idea, Bells. And I'll tell 'em."_

Bella stood at the same time he did. They met at the doorway to the foyer and sneaked in a passionate embrace and kiss.

"This feels funny doesn't it? We are all legal now but we're still hiding from our dads so we can make out."

Jacob rubbed noses with his new wife before burying his face in her hair to get a big lungful of her scent. Bella hummed in  
appreciation of the kiss, the hug, the warmth, The Jacob.

"I guess it'll take a while for all of us to get adjusted to our new 'family dynamic', huh? It'll ease up when we have our own  
place, I'm sure. I suppose that will be the first order of business."

Jacob gave her a warm smile and sucked in another taste of her smell. He managed not to grin so big as to give away his own  
surprise for his new bride. He would find out if all the preparations were complete as soon as he connected with his brothers  
and sister. Bella wriggled free of his grasp to turn toward the kitchen.

"I'm going to throw together some food for all of us. Charlie says he's got the fridge stocked up in anticipation of our return, or  
more precisely, YOUR return, my loving bottomless pit."

Jacob managed a little smack on her behind before she got out of range.

"Long as I'm YOUR bottomless pit, Honey. I'm tickled your dad recognizes my nutritional needs."

Bella jumped at the glancing contact and he sidestepped a return swat.

"Oh yeah, babe. You are definitely ALL MINE. Bottomless, topless, in your altogether."

She giggled and made kissy sounds at him as she moved on to the kitchen door. Jacob watched her retreating backside and smiled  
to himself. What to say about his girl? The Spirits REALLY chose well for him and he liked to think that he chose well for himself even  
before the Spirits got around to it. The 'stamp of approval' was nice, but Bells had been his one and only love for most of his life. Now  
she would be that for the rest of his life, too.

He headed out the front door as if to make a check of Bella's old truck, parked next to Charlie's cruiser in the driveway, and then silently  
made his was around the side of the house and moved across the yard toward the tree line. As soon as he was sufficiently under cover,  
he shucked his shoes and clothes and called forth his wolf.

'HE' had been on vacation as well. The russet beast had thoroughly enjoyed the honeymoon even if he hadn't been called out to run. He  
was glad to be summoned. It felt good to breathe in the thick woodsy air and stretch out his leg, neck and back muscles. To Jacob, keeping  
his wolf under wraps for several days resembled nothing so much as being stuck in an elevator. There was just a touch of a claustrophobic  
flavor to it. The second his Pack mates felt his mind join them, the noise level in his head shot through the top of the decibel meter.  
Damn! Were they ALL phased at the same time?

_ "Hey bro!"_

_ "Welcome back, dude!"_

_ "How was your trip?"_

_ "We need details!"_

_ "Did you guys even have a clue where you were? Or did you not see outside the cabin until you left?"_

_ "Quil, don't be such a dolt!"_

_ "What? I'm just showing affectionate brotherly interest! Enquiring minds."_

The russet Alpha sat down on his haunches and waited until the cacophony died down. He could only shake his head at the crazy collection  
of characters that was his Pack. He really had missed the idiots.

_ "Hey guys. Thanks. It was great. You're not getting any. And yes, we knew exactly where we were, thank you very much. The cabin on the beach_  
_ in Sequim was secluded and peaceful and Bells and I loved it. We didn't even miss you guys,...much."_

_ "I knew it! I told you guys. We are still number one on his list!"_

_ Quil was ecstatic. Jacob snickered as he responded. _

_"At the very least, Quil,...you're number two." _

_The explosive laughter accompanied Quil's frown in his Alpha's mind. _

_"Oh very funny, Jake. We love you, too."_

_ "Come on Quil, I'm just pulling your left hind leg. Emb, tell me what's been going on? The rest of you can head home if you're not on_  
_ the patrol schedule. Thanks again for the welcome home."_

They all said good night and all but Sam and Collin phased away.

Embry and Jacob shielded their thoughts to communicate somewhat privately.

_"Okay Embry. What's up?"_

_ "There's been no activity as far as nomads. Just what's left of the Cullens have been hunting. Carlisle is about to drive me crazy, though."_

_ "What's got his knickers in a knot?"_

_ "I don't know, man. He wouldn't come right out and just tell me. But he says it's very important that he see both you and Bella and that it's_  
_ got something to do with the blood samples he took from both of you that he's been analyzing and will also concern the 'mind connection' that_  
_ has developed between you two. It that still in place? It hasn't faded or anything?"_

_ "No, man, it hasn't faded. If anything, it's gotten easier and, I don't know, tighter."_

He ducked his head and scratched at the dirt with his claws. Embry gave him a big wolfy grin, tongue hanging out of the side of his mouth.

_ "Tighter? Don't tell me, let me guess. You used your 'connection' on your honeymoon." _

If his face wasn't already covered in reddish fur, Embry might have seen russet skin darkening to a deeper red. Jacob was suddenly fearful, but menacing.

_ "Dude, if you let this slip and it gets back to Bells, I will eat your front legs for breakfast."_

_ "You have my word, bro. Glad you're enjoying married life."_

_ "Aw man, you just don't know. The mind connection during se..."_

He suddenly snapped his thoughts shut. Holy...what had he been about to share with his Pack brother? If Bella found out, he was literally a dead man.  
No question about it.

Embry rolled on the ground snarking and chuffing.

_"I'd say you are going to need to do some serious practicing on that thought control thing, my man." _

He was gasping for air as he stood up to shake the leaves and debris out of his fur. Jacob lowered his head until his muzzle and forehead was on the ground.

_ "You're not fucking kidding, brother. Forget I said anything. My ass is in deep trouble if she gets any inkling that I may have slipped up. I've got your word, right?"_

_ "Not for nothing, man, but I am your Beta. I know what you need and I know what I'm doing. What you need is pups and future Alphas and you can get those_  
_ if your jewels are on a platter. That's why you picked me. That and my incredible battle strategy skills."_

The big russet wolf shoved the gray and black one with his shoulder.

_ "Yeah, that's exactly the reason. Okay, tell me what Carlisle wants and when?" _

_"He just said to call him at your 'earliest convenience' when you and Bella return from your trip."_

_ "Yeah, that sounds like him doesn't it? Good. Thanks Emb. I gotta head back, Bells is cooking supper for us and our dads. It's probably ready by now._  
_ We'll talk tomorrow, okay?"_

_ "The bonfire is all set for tomorrow night. We can put our heads together there. And, by the way, Jake, the cottage is all ready. We finished it up Thurday_  
_ and Emily, Kim and Leah got it all spruced up after we moved in the furniture. She still doesn't know anything does she?"_

_ "She hasn't got a clue. I suppose we'll never be able to keep a secret from her this completely again, will we?"_

_ "Nah, not likely. At least this is the most important surprise you'll ever have for her."_

_ "I guess so. Until I decorate one of the spare bedrooms for a nursery or give her the engagement ring and wedding band she never got. Thanks for everything, Embry. _  
_You guys are awesome." _

_"Anything for our Alpha and his mate, dude. I never thought that old cottage would fix up so nice. The key is under the flower pot on the porch. We will all make_  
_ ourselves scarce until about 10 or so in the morning."_

_ "Sounds great. See you all then."_

Embry yipped a farewell to his boss and rounded on his paws to head home. Jacob watched his brother as he disappeared into the thickness of the forest, and turned  
for Charlie's house, a good meal and a long night just snuggling with his Bells. No way would she allow them to get past second base with both of their fathers under  
the same roof. Oh well, the past week had been amazing. He could hold out for one night. Tomorrow night, they would be christening every room in their new home.  
The cottage, gifted to them by the Tribal Council and repaired, renovated and decorated and furnished with contributions from several corners, was ready for Jacob to  
carry Bella over the threshold.

His own savings from car repair income went into the pot after he bought Bells' rings and the Cullens had insisted on making a contribution and reparations to the Tribe  
as a whole. The Pack had balked at first, but Billy and Sue Clearwater had intervened and persuaded them that refusing gifts that benefitted the Pack and the Tribe was  
missing the point and ignoring the big picture. The Cullens felt responsible for many of the problems on the Reservation, and allowing them an apology wasn't going to  
hurt anybody. The time for all the animosity and hatred had passed. The treaty may have been dissolved, but an alliance with great potential had taken its place.

Jacob tamped down his curiosity about Carlisle cryptic message. He would call the doc after he finished his meal with his wife and their fathers. It was time for the Quileute  
Alpha to get ready to go back to work.

_ "Jacob, I'm ringing this dinner bell one time and one time only." _

_"On my way, Honey. All the guys and Leah say 'hi' and they'll see us tomorrow night at the beach. Fill up my plate, baby. Be there in 30 seconds."_

After Billy and Charlie had turned in for the night, Bella and Jacob went for a stroll across the back yard and placed a cell call. Bella held the phone and Jacob could easily  
hear the conversation.

"Hello Carlisle, we're back. We hear you wanted us to call."

"Welcome back Bella. You, too, Jacob. Thanks for calling. I need to make an appointment to meet with both of you if that's alright. I have some data from my research that  
will interest you both."

"Can you tell us anything now, Carlisle?"

"Hard to go into detail over the phone, Bella, but I think I can safely say that YOUR relationship to Jacob's wolf and the rest of the Pack has the potential to change dramatically  
very soon."

"No time for riddles, Carlisle. Just out with it."

"Well, to put it bluntly, Bella, your blood has assumed several characteristics in common with Jacob's blood and your body's cell structure has probably altered imperceptibly  
and permanently."

He paused to let that sink in for a moment, and then continued.

"As far as healing capabilities and enhanced physical strength, as well as enhanced senses, you, Isabella, have taken a small step toward the wolf and away from 100 percent human."

The cell phone was on the ground and Bella and Jacob were more or less holding each other up, trying to prevent each other from falling to their knees in astonishment.


	21. Chapter 21

A/N: Thank you so much to my readers and reviewers. You are the best. Stephenie Meyer owns everything Twilight. This plot deviation is mine, as are some new characters coming up. Thanks and love to my Beta, Murfy. I love you my sweets. Bells and Jake, comin' right up. Mama

By His Side

Chapter Twenty-One

Bella and Jacob woke up early this morning. They hadn't slept very well. This bed was never meant for two. It definitely wasn't meant for a  
couple with one half that was a wolf. There were several various and sundry parts of Jacob hanging off the mattress and Bella was mostly  
pressed into that mattress underneath him, flattened like a meadow flower between the pages of a book.

When she opened her eyes, she was so surrounded by everything Jacob that she wasn't sure if the sun was up or not. Bella was on her back  
and Jacob was face down in the pillow with most of his body covering her. Only the top of her head was visible above his shoulder.

"What time is it?" she mumbled sleepily.

Jacob opened one eye and cast a glance at the bedside table.

"Looks like about 8:30," he smothered the words into the pillow.

"Is it really cloudy and dark, or do you mean it's 8:30 PM?"

A slight chuckle vibrated over her and he tenderly kissed her temple.

"What's the matter, honey? Is it dark down there?"

"Yes, you could say that. There's not a lot of oxygen either."

She wiggled one hand free and as forcefully as she could manage, poked her index finger deeply into his ribs and twisted. Jacob jerked upward  
and clasped her hands in his, pulling her onto his stomach and wrapping his legs around hers.

"Hey! None of that now. Ticklish people must remember they should never tickle."

"And good morning to you too, Hot Boy. I wasn't trying to tickle you, I just needed to get your attention. Hot and sweaty and hard to  
breathe under there. It worked didn't it?"

"You could say that. 'Hot Boy' huh? Who you calling 'Boy'"

"Oh excuse me, I thought my husband was here for a minute. He's quite young and really just a boy, even though he's incredibly handsome  
and manly. Too bad he's not here. What did you say your name was again?"

Jacob grinned at her and reached a hand down to the floor. He picked up his cast off boxers and twirled them on his finger.

"You didn't notice? My name's Klein, Calvin Klein. But you can call me CK. Or better yet, call me 'Baby'."

"Okay, Baby, we need to get busy and get moving."

"Oh, Bells, I thought you'd never ask."

Jacob, I mean CK, rolled her back underneath him and pressed his lips to hers in a warm, passionate embrace. By the time they came up  
for air again, it was 9:30 and they really did need to be up and on their way.

Showered, dressed and down in the kitchen, the newlyweds inhaled toast, eggs and coffee. A note on the counter let them know that Charlie  
and Billy were gone fishing and would be back Sunday night. They locked up the house and headed over to the Cullen residence in Jacob's Rabbit.

"Carlisle, let me see if I've got this straight. Bella is getting 'benefits' from the transfusion of my blood and combined with the imprint, is going  
to be wolfing out a little bit?"

The normally quiet and dignified vampire doctor laughed out loud at Jacob's unique grasp and take on the situation. The young man could seemingly  
handle anything that life threw at him, and his new wife was demonstrating a similar capability for coping with weird. They certainly were a good match.

"That's one way of putting it, Jacob. I don't know to what extent Bella will show effects of the wolf gene, but some of them have already manifested.  
We've both seen firsthand her ability to heal faster than an average human and her increased ability of movement. Bella, I doubt you ever imagined  
you would be coordinated enough to be fast on your feet, hmmm?"

Bella had been mostly speechless throughout Carlisle's discourse on his research findings. She shook her head slowly, still digesting the revelations.

"Carlisle, I never imagined being associated with a wolf at all, much less married to one and gaining any of his characteristics. This is all a little  
overwhelming right now."

Jacob encircled her shoulders and hugged her to his side.

"Don't worry, Bells. I'm sure we can handle the changes together. I'm right here, honey."

"The two of you will need to be aware of any new feelings or sensations that you experience. If you'll document everything in that notebook I gave  
you, I will be most grateful. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for me. I appreciate you allowing me to stay to help you."

Jacob held his hand out to the doctor as he stood to leave with his mate.

"No problem, Carlisle. I appreciate what you've done for us lately, and I hope you will stay in the area and help in the future if we need you."

"It's a win/win situation, Jacob. Only Esme and I will be staying. Rosalie and Emmett are moving to Spain indefinitely and Jasper has told me he  
intends to relocate to South America. Esme's medical training will be invaluable to me and I can be here for the Pack and continue my research  
at the same time."

Bella took Carlisle's hand in both of hers.

"Thank you Carlisle. I know this isn't the way we thought things would turn out, but I'm glad you and Esme will be here for us. I'm glad you can  
forgive the past and move on with us."

"Of course, Bella. It is for the best for us to work together and look to the future."

Jacob and Bella said their goodbyes to Esme and left the vampire home. Bella wondered at how much had changed since her graduation from high  
school and pondered the possibilities for her future with Jacob and the Pack.

They drove toward La Push and she sat up and looked questioningly at Jacob when they passed the little red house without stopping. He smiled slyly  
at her and wrapped her close to his side under his strong right arm.

After a few more minutes of driving, Jacob turned onto a gravel road that was hardly more than a path. Instead of proceeding further he pulled over  
into the grass on the side and parked. Without saying a word, he got out, walked around to Bella's door, opened it and offered her his hand. The smile  
on his face was enigmatic, but Bella's curiosity was piqued. She grinned back at him and took his hand, exiting the car. He reached down and swept  
her into his arms.

"It's not the smoothest path and it's a bit of a distance," was all he would elaborate.

He walked briskly and confidently, cuddling his mate close, smiling broadly to himself. A few minutes up the path the trees began to get bigger and  
thicker, the canopy of branches and leaves was almost solid, providing the most delicious shade. Bella was gazing all around her, soaking up the beauty  
of their forest, when she began to sense a presence of multiple guests observing them from deeper in the coverage. She was pretty certain she caught  
a glimpse of fur, a glint of a shiny eye and maybe a touch of pink from a huge tongue. It was obvious the Pack was going to join them, she just wasn't  
sure when, or why.

More than a mile up the road, Jacob came to a stop and lowered Bella's feet to the ground. He held her close against him, kissed her sweetly and told her  
to close her eyes. She did as he instructed, completely entranced with this game he was playing. He turned her so she faced forward and pulled her back  
to his chest. Steadying her with his arms, he walked her forward a hundred more steps.

"Okay, Bells, you can look now."

She looked.

Her mouth flew open.

The most charming cottage stood in front of them. It was straight out of Hansel and Gretel and she clapped her hands together in delight.

"Oh, Jacob, this is so cute! Whose house is this?"

"Ours," he said as he hugged her tight, placing his chin on her shoulder.

"Ours?"

"Yep."

"No way!"

"Yes, way."

"How?"

"Council."

"Get out!"

"And Tribe."

"Really?"

"And Pack."

She turned and scanned the tree line, grinning widely, tears beginning to slip down her cheeks.

"You guys!"

Suddenly the woods came to life. The group of huge, copper-skinned and sculpted boys emerged en masse following the tall and beautiful raven-haired  
she-wolf. Leah led the group right up to their Alpha couple and embraced Bella warmly.

"Welcome home, Bella."

She sniffed just a little herself and shook her head fiercely to throw off the leaking emotions. Bella couldn't find any words. She returned Leah's hug and  
ran her eyes down the line of the boys, gratitude spilling over.

The group of embarrassed young wolves looked at the ground and shuffled their feet restlessly. Embry seemed to be the spokeswolf.

"We hope you like it Bella. We're glad that you're here,...for Jake, and for us."

Bella extracted herself from Leah and threw her arms around Embry's neck. Jacob approached Embry behind her and reached out for Embry's hand.

"Thanks dude. You guys did a great job."

"Anytime, man. Welcome back."

"Thanks, Emb. We'll see everyone tonight at the beach, right?"

Embry nodded and they all slinked away quietly into the trees. Jacob once again lifted Bella into his arms and walked across the porch to the front door  
of their new wolfhaven. He pushed open the door and carried his mate through, setting her down in the front room.

"Oh my gosh, Jake! This is perfect! How did they know?"

"It's been a conspiracy from the start. Everyone was in on it. The Pack, the Council, the Elders, Charlie, even Renee. Do you like it baby?"

"Are you kidding? I love it! Let's go get the rest of our stuff and get unpacked, right away."

"Alright, honey. Wow, anxious much, Bells?"

There was no need for an answer as Bella clapped her hands, gave a little squeal and dashed out the door. Assuming Jacob would follow and  
probably race with her back to the car.

Bella was shocked into a frightened shriek when he rushed up behind her, grabbed her and sped back to the house with her. He deposited her in  
the front room and looked at her with fear and fury in his black eyes.

"Bells, stay here honey. I smell a vamp. They're close. There's more than one. I'm calling the Pack back right now."

He ran out the front door, locking it on his way and phased instantly as he dove off the porch, howling for his brothers and sister as he morphed.  
The giant russet wolf stood panting and huffing angrily as he paced back and forth in front of the house. Soon a group of six black-cloaked figures  
appeared out of the woods and began to stalk forward toward him.

He was prepared to take them all on by himself if need be to defend his home and his mate. He snarled in defiance at the cowled monsters,  
hoping against hope that some of his Pack weren't too far away to help. Embry, Quil and Paul burst into the Pack mind first.

_"What is it, Jake?"_

_"What's going on?"_

_"Vampires! In the clearing at our house! Black cloaks. That's the way Bella described the Volturi guard outfit. How far away are you? There's six_  
_of 'em that I can see!"_

_"At least a couple of minutes, Jake. Try to bluff and stall 'em. We're coming!"_

Huge paws and long, sharp claws dug into the earth as the trio pushed themselves faster to reach their Alpha in time. Jacob continued to growl and  
bare his teeth while pacing in a stand-off with the six un-moving and silent vampires. He wouldn't allow himself to feel or show the fear choking him  
with worry for his mate locked inside the house behind him. If they charged him, he would fight to the death and hope his brothers could arrive in  
time to save his girl.

The group began to advance toward him slowly and deliberately. They seemed in no hurry to engage the giant creature, even though they could  
smell their objective inside the house. Their orders were clear and concise. Find and capture the human girl and wait for Alec to arrive with the rest  
of their entourage. If necessary, capture and disable anyone who tried to protect the girl. None were to be killed, yet.

Each of the six reached up and pushed down their hood, revealing sparkling white faces, brilliant red eyes, and close-cropped black hair. They spread out  
into a semi-circle and moved to attempt to herd the huge wolf away from the structure in the clearing. He was stubborn and cagey and they were  
becoming frustrated at their lack of success in luring him to the side.

Suddenly, the group of six froze and turned their heads as one to peer over his head. The shock and terror on their faces puzzled the wolf. He cocked  
his head to one side and his mouth dropped open, his tongue lolling out, betraying his surprise as each of the vampires began to retreat back toward  
the tree line rather rapidly.

Jacob could not have wished for better timing. As the Volturi guardsmen reached the trees, seven members of his Pack descended upon them. Others  
had heard the alarm he had raised and all had come to the rescue in the nick. The Alpha joined his brothers and sister and made short work of the  
vampires who had been retreating and blinded with fear.

When fires were burning and purple smoke lifted into the sky, the Alpha wolf thanked his Pack.

_"Not a moment too soon guys. Thanks. I can't understand why the fuckers suddenly turned tail and ran like that."_

The rest of his wolves looked at him, then looked to each other, then back at him.

_"Dude, did you not see what came up behind you?"_

_"Behind me? No, what are you talking about, Quil?"_

Jacob looked over his shoulder toward the house, saw nothing amiss, and turned back to the others. His Pack, as one, showed him through their mind  
connection exactly what the vampires had seen behind him, causing them to flee in terror.

Jacob saw the scene as each of the wolves emerged from the woods and sighted on the interlopers. He could see himself standing fierce in front of the  
cottage. Then he gasped internally as he saw what came up behind him and took up a post beside the house.

Another wolf, wild-eyed and feral stood behind him. Its fur was deep mahogany and lush. And it was at least three times his size! It dwarfed the cottage.  
For that matter, it dwarfed Jacob! It let out a snarl that he hadn't heard over his own growling, but the sound shook the ground in his mind's eye.

Stunned, Jacob looked at his comrades, then turned his huge head to look over his shoulder at the cottage. The front door opened and timidly,  
Bella stepped out onto the porch. She gave a little wave and smiled sheepishly.

"I guess maybe this is something we need to write down in Carlisle's notebook, huh?"


	22. Chapter 22

Thanks to all my readers and reviewers. You make my heart go pitty-pat.  
Thanks to Dottyanne, Nikki, and Lady of Spain, love u guys!  
Thanks to my Beta, Murfy. You are the love of my life.  
All things Twilight belong to Stephenie Meyer.  
This plot deviation and additional characters are all mine.  
Please enjoy and review!  
mama

By His Side

Chapter Twenty-Two

The welcome home bonfire for the La Push Wolf Pack's Alpha and his new mate was in full swing before sunset that evening. The crowd  
was smallish, but much food and drink had been consumed once again and the dancing had begun. Though she didn't consider  
herself any kind of a dancer, Bella had been taken for a spin across the beach by each and every wolf in the Pack. Some toes were  
mashed a bit, but no injuries were sustained that couldn't be healed, naturally. Jacob had been especially tolerant of his brothers as  
each of them in turn wrapped arms around his girl. He knew they knew to behave. He did, however, keep a very close watch on Quil.  
He had known that boy for most of his life and he knew how handsy he could be.

He did underestimate Bella just slightly. When Quil's hand wandered down past the waist of her jeans and into the vicinity of her ass cheek,  
the slap was a resounding noise that echoed off the forest.

"OW! Geezis, Bella! I didn't do nothin'!"

"Yet! Come on Quil, you know better. Or you should. And now I don't have to worry so much when I need to punch one of you wolfy types.  
Accelerated healing is a wonderful thing, don't you think?"

She held out her palm to show him the redness that was quickly disappearing.

"Oh yes, this is going to be very useful," she smiled at him sweetly, innocently.

Jacob moved up to cut in before his mate needed to actually try to hurt his brother.

"For safety and your self-preservation, you better let me take over for a while, Quil. I don't want to have to save your butt from my wife's aggressive nature."

"Ok, ok, I'm going. Man, all I wanted was a little squeeze," he complained petulantly.

Jacob wrapped his arms around Bella and began to sway around with her. She laid her cheek on his broad chest and sighed contentedly.

"This has been quite a day, hasn't it honey? Are you okay?"

"Couldn't be better. The future is laid out before us and we have this huge loving family. What more could we ask?"

"Maybe an end to the unwelcome intruders? That was a close call today, baby. I don't want you to be left alone for a second from now on."

"Now Jake, stop being such a pessimist. You and the Pack handled it just fine and I found out I can project my Spirit in wolf form at will, especially  
if I'm scared out of my wits. I'm thrilled to learn what I can do now. I want you to be, too."

"I know baby. It's great that you can help the Pack. But it makes my blood run cold to think of you being anywhere close to any bloodsuckers. Maybe  
you can practice on getting your Spirit to travel long distances so you don't have to be physically close to the danger, hummm?"

"My sweet Alpha-boy. You are such a worrier. If it will make you feel better, I'll work on the distance thing. Anything for you, my Jacob."

He gave her a bright, sunny smile and nuzzled her neck. The fragrance that his mate gave off was intoxicating. He couldn't get enough. He pulled  
away and took her hand as he faced down the beach toward their tree.

"My Bells. Come, take a walk with me."

They sat on the driftwood trunk and watched the waves sparkling with moonlit edges. Jacob held Bella's left hand up and played with the fingers. She  
looked at him quizzically.

"This seems a bit bare to me," he said.

He reached into his jeans pocket and slipped something out. He once again went down to one knee in front of her and eased two silver bands onto her  
ring finger. One was a smooth, polished finish, the other sported three diamonds across the top, the one in the center larger than the other two. Bella  
stared open-mouthed at Jacob and then at her hand, then at Jacob again. Tears welled in her eyes as she leaned to kiss his lips. He reached to cup her  
face but she pulled back and flashed him a brilliant and mischievous smile. His face was puzzled.

She reached into the pocket of her own jeans and produced a surprise of her own. She took his left hand in hers and placed a wide, bright silver band on his  
ring finger. Jacob was astonished.

"Baby, you're the best. You never cease to amaze me. C'mere, Honey."

He pulled her off the tree and stretched out on the sand with her in his arms, hugging her tightly. This was pure bliss.

~BHS~

A young man and a young woman stood just at the edge of the trees watching the lovers' scene unfold. He grasped her hand and began to move toward  
the couple on the beach.

"It's now or never Kate. Let's go see if they'll let us in."

"I'm as ready as I'll ever be, Danny. Let's do this."

The young man was tall and athletically built and appeared to be around the age of 20. The girl looked to be about 18 and they were both copper-skinned  
with shiny black hair, his quite short, hers well below her waist. They each took a deep, calming breath and moved across the beach toward Jacob and  
Bella.

It wasn't long before Jacob suddenly jumped to his feet, pressing Bella close behind him, a low, menacing growl escaping his lips. He watched the boy  
and girl approach warily. He didn't smell any danger specifically, but they were strangers to him. He was taking no chances.

"Stop where you are. Who are you and what business do you have here?"

The young man released the girl's hand and held both of his up in surrender.

"Please, we mean you no harm. We're sorry for trespassing on your privacy but we need to speak with the Alpha of your Pack."

Jacob and Bella could only stare slack-jawed at the two strangers. Bella found her voice first and spoke gently to them.

"What do you know of a Pack? What brings you to our beach?"

The boy shrugged his shoulders and sighed. This was it, the moment of truth. He looked down at the girl and she gave him a slight smile and a nod of encouragement.

"My name is Daniel White Eagle and this is my sister, Katherine. We are Makah. Our parents are both dead and we have no other family that we are close  
to. We know of your Pack because our parents were both killed by vampires and because my sister can sense supernatural creatures. Katherine cannot  
phase into a wolf and I was on my own trying to defend our family. Our father and I managed to kill the two leeches but our mother was already dead. Our  
father was not a wolf and fought as a human. He succumbed to his injuries two days after the fight. One of the vampires inadvertently told us of your Pack  
by saying they had made a mistake in where they were supposed to be. They were meant to have searched the Quileute reservation instead of the Makah.  
We don't know what they were searching for. But as we got close to your borders, Katherine could sense the large group of wolves that you have here. Please  
tell us if you have an Alpha and where we can find him to talk to him."

Jacob and Bella had been spellbound by their story. Finally Jacob shook himself back to alertness and stepped forward extending his hand to Daniel.

"I am Jacob Black and this is my wife, Bella. I am the Alpha of the Pack here in La Push. Are you and your sister completely alone?"

Daniel took Jacob's hand with something like reverence and Katherine's eyes widened in awe.

"Yes, it's just the two of us. As far as we knew, I was the only wolf on the Makah reservation. Katherine had never sensed any others. Her instinct  
markers went crazy when we got close to La Push."

Katherine gave Jacob a little curtsey, causing him to smile, embarrassed. He reached for her hand and squeezed it in welcome, trying to let her know  
that that was quite unnecessary.

"I could feel you and all of your Pack as soon as we left the Makah res. There really are a lot of you and the vibes were so strong. You must be a powerful  
group of wolves."

Jacob glanced at Bella and smiled again.

"I don't know about that. We do okay. We're just wolves, though Bella, my mate here, is pretty special even though she's all human, sort of."

Bella gave Jacob a jab in the ribs and held out her hands to Daniel and Katherine.

"Just plain human, thank you. Come on you two, come meet the rest of the Pack. The crew around the bonfire is just wolves and imprints tonight.  
It's sort of a private party."

Katherine gasped and clapped her hand over her mouth.

"Oh, I'm so sorry! We didn't mean to crash your celebration! Please forgive us. We can come back another time."

Bella reached an arm around her shoulder and began to tug her forward.

"Don't be silly. Jacob and I just returned from our honeymoon and this is just a little welcome home get-together."

Daniel and Katherine smiled at each other in relief.

"Well, congratulations! And if you're sure we're not intruding too much. We'd be honored to meet the rest of your Pack. And if it's not too nosy,  
what's an imprint?"

Bella glanced over her shoulder at Jacob as he walked alongside Daniel. She quirked an eyebrow at him and he shrugged and shook his head.

This might be TMI and need to wait.

Bella pondered how to answer the girl's question.

"It's a little bit like a girlfriend for a wolf. It's just an expression, really."

Katherine nodded but seemed a bit skeptical. The party was still in full swing but silence fell over the group as Jacob and Bella approached with  
their companions. The natural questions and suspicions were in everyone's eyes. Jacob looked meaningfully at Embry and gestured to the new  
arrivals.

"Everyone, this is Daniel and Katherine White Eagle. They are Makah and have come to La Push for a little visit."

Embry stepped forward and extended his hand to the young man.

"I'm Embry Call. I'm a close friend of Jacob's. Welcome."

Daniel shook his hand and stepped aside to indicate his sibling.

"Thank you. This is my sister, Katherine."

Embry took her hand in his and jerked at the spark that flew up from where they touched. Katherine slowly raised her gaze from their joined hands  
and looked straight into the deepest and most beautiful eyes she thought she had ever seen. They simply fell into each other's gravitational pull,  
spiraling down, soul's entwined.

Bella leaned against Jacob. She whispered into his ear.

"Well! THAT'S going to make that imprint conversation much easier, huh?"

"I'll say. Embry, you okay big guy? Embry? Emb?"

Daniel was growing a little agitated at the fireworks going on between this stranger and his sister. He stepped up to Embry and growled low into his ear.

"You want to back off a little there, buddy. That's my sister."

Jacob quickly stepped in and put his arm around Daniel's shoulders, herding him away from the group, leaving Bella to handle the explanations.

"It's okay, Daniel! Can I call you Dan? Don't worry. Embry is a really nice guy, one of my best friends. He's the Beta of the Pack too. Real responsible  
and a fine, upstanding fellah, I promise."

"What the hell has the fucker done to my sister? They both look like they're stoned!"

"Well, I guess that's not too far off, really. I suppose you could say they are high on each other. It's really pretty harmless. They'll both be  
fine. I swear. Don't worry."

"Don't worry! Are you nuts? They just met!"

Daniel was getting so riled up he was beginning to vibrate under Jacob's arm. Jacob knew exactly what was happening and clamped his other arm around  
Daniel and hustled him toward the trees as fast as he was able while fighting Daniel's attempts to return to where Embry and Katherine were still standing,  
holding hands and practically nose to nose, grinning like fools.

Once inside the forest boundary, Jacob released Daniel, stepped back and Alpha-ordered him. He might as well find out if this would work now.

** "Strip and phase, now! You need to run off some steam, dude!" **

Daniel stilled for a moment and stared in shock at Jacob. He shook his head violently, like he was trying to dispel too many cobwebs from his mind.  
Suddenly, he shucked off his shirt, jeans and shoes and exploded into a substantial sized wolf, brilliant white.

Jacob watched as the white wolf pawed the ground and shuffled side to side whining. He sighed and dropped his shorts, phasing quickly.

_"Okay, dude. Can you hear me?" _

_"Yes, I can! What's this all about? What the hell's going on?"_

_ "It means you've accepted me as your Alpha. Or at least your wolf has. We can all communicate through the Pack mind when we're phased like this._  
_ Comes in handy when you're hunting leeches." _

_"Yes, I can see how it would. Does it only work when you're wolves?" _

_"For the Pack, yes. My mate and I can communicate through a mind link whether I'm wolf or human. She's developing some new abilities recently."_

_ "I thought she said she was 'just plain human'. Was she 'just kidding'?" _

_"Not exactly. Look, it's a long story. Why don't you and I go for a quick run, I'll show you the perimeters of our res and I can show you what's going_  
_ on with Bella. If you're going to stay here with us, and I'm betting your sister will vote for that, you'll need to know all this stuff anyway. How 'bout it?"_

_ "Okay man, I mean Alpha. Lead the way." _

Jacob let out a couple of yips to signal the rest of the Pack where he was going. The russet wolf then launched himself deeper into the forest, the white  
wolf hot on his heels.


	23. Chapter 23

A/N: Hello and a big wolfy smacky kiss to all my readers and reviewers. You guys simply rock, that's all there is to it.  
Thanks to Rosemary Lily Marie, Dottyanne and LadyofSpain. Y'all are so sweet to me.  
*sniffles, dabs at eyes with a tishew*.  
Thanks again to my favorite Beta in all the world, Murfy. Love U.  
Fasten those seat belts and other incidental restraints babies, it's about to hit the fan, repeatedly!

By His Side

Chapter Twenty Three

BPOV

"Paul, Jared, Sam,...can you guys come with me and um...bring your girls please?"

I tried to keep my voice low and calm. I didn't want to startle Katherine or Embry. They were so far into each other's consciousness that  
I wasn't initially able to gain their attention by simply calling their names aloud. I realized I was going to need help, experienced help.

The imprinted wolves could gently herd Embry while the imprints and I would nudge Katherine down the beach a short distance. The group  
gathered around the couple as we attempted to break their locked status and at least partially separate them so we could talk to them.  
The guys would need to counsel Embry on the best way to approach Katherine, and the girls and I would need to educate her as gently but  
as rapidly as possible. This would NOT be a cakewalk.

"Katherine? Honey can you hear me?"

Embry's brothers gathered him in a 3-way man-cage embrace and shuffled him a few yards away from us. Katherine craned her neck to  
follow him as they led him off, not breaking eye contact until he was forced into a brotherly headlock by Paul.

I looked around at my accomplices, Emily, Kim and Rachel. They all nodded encouragement to me, deferring to my decision about how to  
approach this. I decided to get her attention and launch into the explanation as smoothly but determinedly as I could, without stopping.

"Katherine, I see you've noticed what a great guy our Embry is. There's a special and unique connection that you two have. It's what we  
mentioned earlier about 'imprints'. You see, when a wolf, like your brother Daniel for instance, and Embry too, first meets a special girl,  
there is a way that they can each recognize the person that the Great Spirit has chosen as their ideal and perfect mate. There is an immediate  
tie between their souls. The two of them are just the right match for each other and if they decide to be together, their future is sure to be  
a fruitful and happy one."

I paused to see if anything I was telling her was seeping through. Katherine was staring rather vacantly at me, she had tilted her head slightly  
to one side, but there seemed to be comprehension in her eyes. I glanced at my girls and got appreciative nods telling me that I was covering  
the pertinent points fairly well. So far, so good.

"Katherine, I believe that maybe Embry thinks you're pretty special and might want to talk to you to get better acquainted. Do you think you  
would like that?"

Just as she began to smile and nod her head, Embry hesitantly walked into our circle. Katherine's eyes instantly locked back onto his and when  
he held out his hand to her, she took it without fear or trepidation. The electricity that emanated from their joined hands cast an eerie glow into  
their faces and made the rest of us smile and sigh with memories of our first conversation with our wolf. It was a magical moment that none of  
us would ever forget, like our first kiss.

The two of them strolled down the beach into the darkness. We made our way back to the fire with the guys, metaphorically patting ourselves on  
the back for an important task accomplished and a job well done.

EPOV

Beautiful Katherine. Oh, Taha Aki, thank you, thank you. When the guys pulled me away from her as the girls led her away, my wolf nearly popped  
a vein. I nearly broke my neck trying to turn my head to keep her in my line of sight. Sam and Jared each had one of my arms in a vise-like grip  
and Paul gave me a swift pop to my face. That got my attention and my wolf's anger. I asked them what the fuck they thought they were trying to  
get away with by pulling Katherine and me apart. My wolf and I both wanted nothing more than to pull her down the beach and take a bath in her  
fragrance.

The ends of her silky black hair swung sensually around her hips. My God I had never seen a more beautiful woman! She was tall for a girl, maybe  
5'9", almost as tall as Leah had grown with her first phase. Her skin looked like liquid bronze. Her eyes were big and coffee-colored with flecks of  
gold and green and were surrounded by lush, black lashes. Her lips were pouty, full and rosy. I wanted to get up close and personal with those  
right away!

When the guys had me distracted they warned me to take it slow and gentle with her.

Paul said, "Dude, even though her brother is a wolf, she can't possibly have expected something crazy like this to happen today, plus, I heard her  
brother tell Jake and Bella that they just lost both of their parents to a leech attack, so her emotions can't be in a totally good place right now. You  
understand what I mean don't you, Emb?"

His logic eventually pierced the imprint fog I was riding and I confirmed that I had a grip on how I should approach her. I promised them I would keep  
my wolf on a short tether for the time being. Before they released me to go back to my girl, they reminded me of the consequences I'd face from Bella  
if I frightened Katherine in any way. They didn't fail to also mention that her brother had phased into a pretty damn big wolf before he had run off with  
Jake.

I walked toward the circle of girls as slowly and deliberately as my wolf would allow. He was literally dancing and howling inside me, having a damn New  
Year's Eve party. I was trying to take deep, slow breaths as I approached so my trembling might not be so obvious. Bella and Rachel stepped aside as I  
reached them. I found my throat had simply closed up and my words were trapped in my mouth, so I just held out my hand to Katherine and gave her  
what I hoped was a friendly, encouraging smile. Those gorgeous eyes widened slightly and she lifted the most delicate hand I'd ever seen and placed it  
in my own. I softly enclosed it and raised the long, slender fingers to my lips, brushing ever so lightly across her knuckles. She batted those long lashes  
at me once and it was all over.

JPOV

Daniel and I ran a full circuit of the reservation. I made him take special note of the treaty line marking the border with the Cullen property. I gave him  
a complete rundown on our situation from the origin and current status of the treaty and the remaining members of the Cullen coven to the recent attack  
of the Volturi guardsmen. The two leeches that had attacked and killed his parents were obviously members of the same guard, since Daniel described the  
black cloaks they were wearing, hoods and all.

I showed him the makeup of our Pack and how we related to one another along with our imprints. He was astounded not only at the size of the Pack, but  
the young ages in our group and the fact that one of our wolves was female. I told him that Leah was the only female wolf in our Tribe's history, and gave  
him a brief background of her and the Sam and Emily connection, just to make sure he didn't say something to get his head bitten off later on. Finally, I  
gave him a quick summary of my relationship with Bella and how we came together, Edward's role in that, and the recent changes she had experienced.

Bells and I had not really had the opportunity to speak privately about the effects of the Alpha imprint and the transfusion. Vampires and bonfires seemed  
to keep getting in the way of my alone time with my wife. I would remedy that tonight as soon as we could ditch everyone and get back to our cottage.

Daniel seemed unhappy but almost ready to accept the relationship that had bloomed between his sister and Embry. I was thrilled for my brother to no  
longer be alone in the world, but I also worried about his imprint's brother being a volatile, untrained wolf. Embry had control in spades, but Daniel  
absolutely did not. I only hoped I wouldn't have to Alpha-order him to keep the peace between them. I really didn't want to form any habits involving  
interfering with wolves and their imprints. That just wasn't a place I ever wanted to go, not unless a problem with a pair threatened the Pack or Tribe  
in some way.

When Daniel and I returned to the bonfire, some of the group had drifted off to their homes. Bella, Rachel and Paul, Seth and Leah remained sitting around  
staring dreamily into the flames. I could see Embry and Katherine a few hundred yards down the beach sitting on a driftwood log talking. They seemed to  
be growing comfortable with each other pretty quickly. That made me smile. 'Good for you, Emb.'

I had slipped up behind Bella and covered her eyes with my hand saying, "guess who?" She reached up and felt the texture of my fingers and began to  
make wild conjectures.

"The President?"

"Rumplestiltskin?"

"Elton John?"

Finally, she smiled and said, "oh, I know who this is! It's gotta be Daniel, right?"

I leaned down and planted a hot, wet, sloppy kiss at the bottom of her neck and said,  
"if you think it's Daniel, he's in more serious trouble than he's ever seen, and you, little girl, are gonna get your bottom tanned."

She let out a gushing giggle and reached up both arms behind her to encircle my neck, pulling me down for a mouth-watering kiss. I lifted her up and  
sat down in her spot, lodging her firmly between my legs and snuggling up tight behind her.

I motioned for Daniel to have a seat beside us and proceeded to make the long-overdue introductions with the Pack members who were still here. I  
pointed to Rachel and Paul.

"Daniel, this is Paul Lahote and his imprint Rachel, who happens to be MY sister."

He raised his eyebrows in surprise. I really did understand his predicament, he now knew.

"The two over there are the Clearwaters. That's Seth and the dead body with her head deep in sleep on his shoulder, is Leah."

I should have known this day was nowhere near over.

Seth waved at Daniel and then reached over to shake his hand in greeting. This naturally pulled his shoulder out from under Leah's head which then  
plummeted to the sand behind Seth. Spitting sand and epithets from her mouth, Leah finally regained her balance and pushed herself back up to a  
sitting position. She achieved this while Seth and Daniel still grasped hands, so she and Daniel were suddenly face to face. This was just in time for  
her to spit a last bit of sand in his face, say "what the fuck!" one more time, and snap her mouth shut as our Pack's first ever double imprint sizzled  
and crackled like the bonfire in front of them.

I looked at my wife and sighed.

"Tell me again why we got out of bed this morning?"

ALEC'S POINT OF VIEW

This was utterly intolerable. I was down to 4 guards and was reduced to hiding in the hills overlooking Carlisle Cullen's home. I had been about to contact  
him when I was halted in my tracks by the vision of Bella Swan strolling across his front porch accompanied by a giant Native who was giving off an odor  
like nothing I had ever encountered. He appeared to be human, but the aroma of his blood was nothing close to the girl's. Her blood had been reputed to  
be the sweetest smelling nectar on earth, calling to Edward Cullen and all who met her. I remembered it's fragrance from her brief appearance in Volterra.  
Yes, it smelled good, but not THAT good, at least not to me. And now after all this time, it didn't seem to be as enticing as it had been then. It was of no  
matter to me, however. What did concern me was the big man with her. He was obviously not a plain human like she was. I would have to be extremely  
cautious until I could discern his true nature. I resolved not to approach Carlisle until the following day. In the interim I intended to attempt to track my  
8 missing guards. Perhaps sending them ahead to scout and search had been a mistake.


	24. Chapter 24

A/N: Thank you readers, reviewers, friends and lovers. You've all been patient and wonderful and I don't know what I would do without you.  
Thank you Murfy, best Beta in all fandom.  
And now...

By His Side

Chapter Twenty Four

Thirty six hours later

JPOV

Everything had gone to hell in a hand basket. So fast. Leah and Daniel tried to be strong and stoic. They were pacing in the forest, shadowing the  
paths of Embry and me. My brother Embry and I were currently trying to fight off panic attacks. Dual panic attacks that were feeding off each other.  
Occasionally we would stop and stare into each other's eyes, each questioning the other silently. What should we do now? How did this happen?  
How could this happen? How?

I put my face into my hands and rubbed hard. My mind was racing with optional scenarios and outcomes of our possible courses of attack. Embry  
was watching the ground as though the moss on the forest floor would give him reasons and answers. We had to put our heads together and figure  
this out. I thought back to the sequence of events that brought us to this nightmare of a place. It had all happened after the euphoria of the bonfire.  
Talk about coming down hard from a high.

Embry and Katherine had had a long talk on the beach. He had gently explained to her how he felt about her, how his wolf felt about her. He had  
pledged his heart and soul to her blindly, not knowing or caring if she accepted him. As long as he could be close to her, in any capacity, he would  
be happy. Somehow he had made Katherine understand that he trusted her with his life. It's amazing what trust can accomplish. Sometimes I think  
trust may exert greater influence than love or devotion. When you know that someone trusts you, implicitly and without reservations, the feeling  
is one of empowerment. It makes you feel strong, like you could take on the world, and win. And trust, thank Taha Aki, breeds trust.

Katherine looked into Embry's eyes and took his hand and placed her trust, her heart, her soul right there. Embry played it back for me later while  
we were on patrol. It was a strengthening of the bond that I could feel in my bones. It felt like the solidified connection between my Bells and me.  
I was happy for and proud of my brother.

We ran our patrol leisurely, while Bella and Katherine stayed at our cottage. They would nap and then have some breakfast, some tea, and some  
quiet time for conversation and their own type of bonding. I knew Bella felt responsible for guiding the only imprint that was newer than her.  
Well, except for Leah. But she already knew what was going on.

What a mind-blowing affair that was! A double imprint. We never dreamed there could be such a thing. Of course we never dreamed we'd have a female  
wolf. We never expected to be joined by a wolf not of our own tribe. After I thought about it for a while, I realized it was practically inevitable. A  
female wolf and a male wolf that's NOT her brother in any way, either metaphorical or literal. That union couldn't be more perfect. It would be the  
only way to keep the Pack gene pool from getting too pure. That's the only way it could have worked.

We had to absolutely pry Leah and Daniel apart. The strength of a double imprint was more than just twice the power of an imprint, it was an imprint  
squared. There was power on her side, on his side and traveling back and forth in both directions. It was almost as powerful as the imprint would  
have been if Daniel were an Alpha. Leah was the Alpha female, even if she wasn't THE ALPHA'S female. She and I would never have imprinted  
because of our symbolic sibling status. I couldn't imprint on my sister wolf. Ewww. Okay, not going there.

Daniel and Embry had a long conversation after Bella and Katherine retired to the cottage. Daniel had said he wasn't tired and patrolled with the  
two of us for several hours. Leah had gone home, saying she needed some time alone and to consult with Sue. Mother-time was essential for her at  
this moment. Danny calmed down soon enough about Embry and Katherine once he saw in Embry's mind the love and devotion and protectiveness  
that rivaled his own for her. Embry and I both put in our two cents about his imprint with Leah and let him see the incredible heartbreak she had  
been through in her life and reminded him that he now held the key to healing her mind and soul as well. He seemed honored to have been chosen  
for the task and that gave me huge peace of mind. My Pack's mental and emotional health was a constant source of concern along with protection  
responsibilities.

While we were patrolling, Paul and Quil monitored the area around the cottage as a matter of continuing vigilance for Bella's safety. They had stationed  
themselves front and back, guarding the doors and scanning the forest around the clearing. Quil was in human form, sitting on the front porch. Paul  
was phased behind the house. The bloodsuckers came from either side and concentrated on attacking Paul. Four of the black-cloaked bastards zipped  
out of the trees and surrounded him. His snarling and snapping alerted everyone.

Bella sprang into action inside the cottage. She shoved Katherine into the small downstairs bathroom and told her to lock the door and stay put until  
she heard Bella's voice giving the all clear. Katherine's sixth sense for supernatural creatures had been acting up already but they had mistakenly  
assumed it was the presence of Paul and Quil setting it off. Bella had quickly accessed her Spirit and projected her giant wolf out back with Paul.  
This time she wasn't as successful intimidating the leech guardsmen. The four of them attacked Paul and left him broken and bleeding on the ground.

There was a single leech that approached Quil on the front porch. He wasn't wearing a cloak, but non-descript street clothes. He looked like a young  
boy, maybe 14. Quil rose to his feet and blocked the door of the cottage but didn't realize he was about to be attacked in his mind. This was Jane's brother,  
Alec.

As he walked quickly toward the porch, Quil stood to meet him and then fell to his knees and tumbled down the porch steps as his senses were all closed  
off. He was blind, deaf and mute, with no sense of touch or even balance. He later described it as being underwater in the dark, no sensory input whatsoever.  
The fall knocked him unconscious and the leech left him there, untouched thank the Spirits.

The next series of events occurred rapidly and right in front our eyes.

Daniel, Embry and I heard Paul's howl of alarm and raced toward the cottage. We had made it to the edge of the clearing in minutes but were still at least  
a half a mile away behind the house. Paul was facing off with four bloodsuckers in the back garden with Bella's huge Spirit wolf standing alongside him.  
The vamps encircled him and instead of going in for the kill, they inexplicably attacked him only with their hands. They went for incapacitating him with  
broken bones instead of poisoning him with venom. He fought valiantly, but when Bella's wolf suddenly faded away he was overwhelmed by sheer numbers.  
Four against one was too many. The four fled the clearing once Paul was down for the count.

As we arrived at the cottage, I phased to human beside Paul to try and assess his injuries. Embry and Daniel continued inside just in time to see Alec hauling  
Bella and Katherine out the front door. Bella was unconscious, draped limply over his shoulder, and Katherine was struggling with his hand clasped tightly  
around her neck. He spat his instructions at Daniel and Embry loudly.

"Make one more move toward me and they will both be vampires before the week is out. I'd rather bite them and drink a little than kill them any day."

His demeanor was one of violent, vicious hatred. The vindictiveness obviously growing from his anger at the supposed death of his sister. He had correctly  
surmised that she had been eliminated by the Pack and his revenge coincided conveniently with his instructions from Volterra.

At the moment Alec left the clearing with Bella and Katherine, I fell to my face by Paul's wolf out back. I tried to hear Bella. She wasn't there. She wasn't  
anywhere! My heart told me she was gone but I couldn't hear her. Something was very, very wrong.

I crawled to the back door of the cottage to see Daniel kneeling over Embry as he lay on the kitchen floor gasping for breath and clawing at his chest in pain.  
Chaos ruled the moment.

With both of our imprints kidnapped and in mortal danger, Embry and I struggled to regain some semblance of sanity. The pain was excruciating.  
We leaned against each other literally and figuratively trying to share our strength and build it back up for each of us.

Daniel had hurried out the front after Alec and the girls, unsure if he should try to follow them alone. He watched helplessly, afraid of the threats Alec had made,  
making sure he noted the direction they took. He returned to the front room carrying Quil and depositing his limp body on the couch. I pushed my cell phone  
into his hands and managed to choke out an instruction to call Carlisle Cullen and get him here immediately.

As he ended the call Leah's wolf bounded into the clearing. She phased mid-stride and rushed into Daniel's arms. Surprised, but relieved at the same time,  
he held her naked body to his chest tightly. Eventually she reached down to her ankle and freed a long T-shirt from its tether, slipping it over her head before  
resuming her embrace with Daniel.

The rest of the Pack and Carlisle and Esme arrived en masse. I sent the Cullens straight out the back door to Paul. Quil sat up on the sofa, ice pack held to the  
back of his head, continually apologizing to Embry and me for something that was beyond his control. I finally sat next to him and gave him a little shake with  
my arm around his shoulders to make him understand that he'd done nothing wrong. We needed to pull together now and it was my job to be the pivot point.

Carlisle got Paul stabilized and he and Esme accompanied Seth and Brady as they carried him to Billy's house. Rachel was going insane in the little red cabin and  
would have him with her no matter what. She would take good care of him while he healed. Sam and Collin would guard the other imprints who had also gathered  
at Billy's.

Quil insisted that he had to stay with the main part of the Pack to help plan the mission to save the girls. Carlisle had given us vital information regarding Alec,  
who had visited him just this morning. He had shown up at the Cullens' door alone and simply inquired about Jane's whereabouts. Carlisle had lied smoothly,  
telling Alec that he had not seen or heard from Jane since her visit after the battle with the newborns. This information was a revelation to Alec, who told  
Carlisle that he had no idea that Jane had come to the Olympic Peninsula for any reason. He informed Carlisle that quite a few of the Volturi were missing  
and that Marcus had requested him to scout around to try to locate them.

With a smooth countenance and a smile, Carlisle admitted to knowing nothing about the disappearances. Alec questioned him about the missing members  
of the Cullen coven and Carlisle and Esme both provided false cover stories without so much as a twitch. They tried to help us at every turn in an attempt  
to make right the wrongs their children had perpetrated.

Shaking myself out of my reverie and reflection, I could see Embry coming out of his trance as well. We began to plan our strategy for tracking Alec and the  
girls. That's when Bella's mind hit me like a lightning bolt. It knocked me to the ground at the feet of my Pack. They huddled around me instantly. I held up  
my hand for them to be quiet and give me a moment.

_"Jacob! Can you hear me?" _

_"I'm here Bells. Honey, tell me where you are. Is Katherine still with you? Has he hurt either of you, in any way?" _

_"We're okay baby. Katherine is here. He hasn't touched us yet. Kate told me he threatened to bite us instead of kill us. It's not going to happen Jacob._  
_ I can promise you that!"_

_ "Where are you, Bells? Where has he taken you?"_

_ "I don't know yet Jake. We are locked in a dark room, no windows, no nothing. It's completely empty like a jail cell or storage room that has been voided of it's_  
_ contents. We are just sitting here on the floor. I'm going to lie down in Kate's arms and try to access my Spirit to send it outside."_

_"Oh Bella, please be careful baby. Stay with me if you can."_

_ "I will Jacob. Don't worry. I'll take you with me."_

There were a few tortuous seconds of silence then I heard Bella's soft sigh as she left her body. I cursed the fact that our connection didn't allow me to see  
through her eyes like the Pack mind did. Our only communication was thoughts and emotions, not moving pictures, dammit!

_"Bella? Honey, what do you see?" _

_"Jake, I don't know how to describe this. It's a huge building, like a warehouse or, wait, an airplane hangar! There are tiny windows all along the top of the_  
_ walls close to the ceiling which is incredibly high. There's a big metal box, maybe eight feet square, it's silver, like aluminum or something. It's sitting on a big _  
_framework, looks like steel, with big rubber wheels on it. There are little tiny wheels all over the surface of the frame that the aluminum box is resting on. _  
_Jacob, Kate and I are locked in this box."_

Bella sent her Spirit up to the windows at the ceiling of the building. She moved carefully through to the outside. She could see a control tower like there  
would be at an airport and a small office building, single story. She moved down to the office and through the wall. Alec was standing at the counter talking  
to a man who apparently worked there. After listening to his plans, Bella returned to her body and stirred in Kate's arms. She informed Kate of her discoveries  
and then spoke again to me.

_"Jacob, this is a small regional airport outside of Port Angeles. This aluminum box is a freight container and Alec has chartered a jet. He's taking us to Italy."_


	25. Chapter 25

A/N: None of these characters are mine, well...except Daniel and Katherine  
and any others I may throw in. The ones you recognize are Stephenie Meyers'.  
The settings are hers as well.  
Jake called me today, said he would be mine if I wanted.  
IF I WANTED?! IF?  
What a sweet baby boy he is! *pants*  
Thanks for reading and reviewing.  
Your kind words make me almost as happy as Jake's call did.  
Thanks to the best Beta in the world, I love ya Murfy.  
And now...meanwhile back at the ranch...

By His Side

Chapter Twenty Five

_"We're coming for you baby. Just hang on honey. Don't worry."_

_ "Jacob, I'm afraid. There's no light in this box and there's not much air flow."_

_ "Stay with me Bells. I'll be right there with you all the way. We'll be there for you soon. I promise."_

_ "I'm here Jake. We'll try to be strong. I'll try to be strong, for you. I love you, Jacob."_

_ "I love you too Bells. Honey, Embry wants you to tell Katherine that he's coming with us. He says he loves her. Can you tell her that for him?"_

_ "I did Jake. She said tell him she's glad he coming with you. She said she loves him too." _

Jacob looked at his Beta and brother and tried to smile. He repeated Katherine's words to Bella to him and grabbed him around the shoulders  
when Embry's knees threatened to buckle.

"Jake, man, we've got to get to them now!"

"I know Emb. Everybody listen up! Sam, Jared, Quil, Colin, Brady, you five are here with the remaining imprints and keeping up patrols for the res.  
Paul is still healing from the leech attack but he'll be with you soon. The rest of us are in the air. Carlisle has commandeered a plane for us at Forks'  
Airport and we will get there wolfed out. Phase now!"

The Pack ran like the wind toward the little airfield on the outskirts of Forks. Carlisle and Esme had left morphine and instructions for Rachel and told  
Jacob what they had arranged. Jasper was on alert, ready to meet them wherever, whenever. Rosalie and Emmett had also been notified of the latest  
development and vowed to be available for anything the Pack needed. If their help was acceptable, it would be given. Jacob assured Carlisle he had no  
qualms whatsoever about accepting their help to rescue Bella and Katherine from the Volturi. He only hoped they could get to Port Angeles in time.  
He prayed they wouldn't need Rosalie and Emmett to rush to Italy ahead of them.

When the wolves arrived at the edge of the forest next to the airport, they all phased to human, quickly dressed and ran toward the stretch of tarmac  
where they could see the doctor and his wife standing next to a Lear jet. It was fueled, ready and fired up as Jacob and the others skidded to a stop  
in front of the vampire couple.

"Damn, Carlisle, this is amazing that you could get this jet here on such short notice. Thank you, again."

The doctor gave a slight smile as he motioned for everyone to follow his wife aboard.

"There's nothing amazing about it at all, Jacob. This is our plane. I'm happy we can use it to help you."

Jacob's mouth dropped open as he took a seat in front of Embry, across the aisle from where the doctor had seated himself. Jacob scanned the cabin  
to see that all the Pack were seated and safely belted when he noticed something and the question rose in his mind. He looked quizzically at the doctor.

"Carlisle, where's Esme? I thought she was coming too."

Once again, the vampire doctor gave that enigmatic smile he seemed to always have at the ready. He didn't respond to Jacob's question, except to nod  
his head forward toward the cockpit door.

"No way! Esme's the pilot?"

"When you never sleep, you really do have a lot of spare time. And it gets really boring if you don't keep yourself busy. Learning new things occupies our  
minds the best and Esme loves to fly. She's had her license for about 57 years, though that's not the actual date that's on it. She has over 1000 hours in  
this jet alone. I can assure you we are in good hands."

Seth was nearly bouncing in his seat.

"That is just the coolest, Carlisle!"

This time the doctor laughed out loud.

"I'm sure Esme would love to hear you say that, Seth."

The young wolf put one hand next to his mouth and raised his voice.

"I think you're cool, Esme!"

They heard a muffled voice behind the closed cockpit door.

"Thank you! Everybody sit tight for a few minutes. We're off in 60 seconds."

Within that minute, the jet moved into its parallel path to the taxiway and straightened up at the end of the runway. The second they were nose into the  
wind, Esme mashed the throttles to full and they rocketed down the runway, lifting off smoothly within another 30 seconds. The engine noise while they  
gained altitude was deafening. Their ears popped and it wasn't long before they began to level off. Esme opened the cockpit door and leaned over the arm  
of her seat, looking backward down the aisle.

"Don't have to gain much altitude just for the hop to Port Angeles. It won't take us long. Jacob, can you tell if they are still on the ground, from Bella?"

Jacob nodded at her and held up one finger. He lowered his head and tried to clear his mind of all extraneous thoughts and worries. He took in a deep breath  
and held it for a moment before releasing it slowly.

_"Bells? Honey, are you with me?"_

The voice that whispered through his mind was soft and faint.

_ "Jacob, I'm here. I'm really sleepy, baby. And it's awfully cold." _

_"Bells! Baby! Are you on the plane and in the air?" _

_"I think maybe we are, Jacob. There was a lot of noise and movement. They really rocked us around."_

_ "Honey, are either of you hurt? From the jostling?"_

_ "Maybe some bruises. We'll be okay, Jake. Are you coming soon?" _

_"We're in the air right behind you Bells. Wrap your arms around Katherine and you two try to keep each other warm, okay? We're coming baby! Please hang on!"_

_ "Okay Jake. I love you." _

_"I love you, too, honey."_

Jacob opened his eyes and lifted his head. When he turned his head to look at his Pack brothers and sister and the doctor, his eyes were feral and glowing yellow  
with fury.

"The fuckers have already loaded the container and taken off! The girls got shaken up when they loaded them and now they're short on oxygen and they're  
cold. Not one of those Italians will be left alive when I'm done!"

Embry leaned up to look around Jake's seat back. He was pale and shaking.

"Is Katherine conscious, Jake? Did she say?"

"Sorry, Emb, she's having trouble with the short air. She's groggy. I'm afraid I didn't ask. Give me a minute."

He closed his eyes again. He realized he should probably try to stay connected to her to keep her awake.

_ "Bells, honey wake up! Let me hear you, baby."_

_ "I'm here, Jake."_

_ "Honey, how's Katherine doing?"_

_ "She's okay, I think. She's scared. But I told her what Embry said. She liked that."_

Shit, Jacob thought, she's repeating herself. She's not getting enough oxygen!

_ "Bells, honey, is Katherine awake? Ask her how she's feeling."_

He needed to get them talking to each other so they could stay awake.

_ "Jake, she's still here, eyes open. She says she's tired, too. She says she misses Embry." _

Jacob turned his head, opened one eye and smiled at Embry and nodded. His brother let out a heavy breath and slumped back into his seat.

_"I told Emb, honey. Tell Kate he said he misses her, too. He said tell her he'll see her very soon and he wants to know if she'd go on a date with him." _

He heard Bella's mental giggle.

_"I asked her, Jake. She wants to know where they're going." _

Jake didn't bother Embry at that moment. He just needed to keep Bella and Kate talking.

_"He wants to know where Kate would like to go. Dinner? Movie? Both?" _

_"She says she'll let him choose and surprise her."_

There was a pause.

_"She wants to know if you and I are going to double date with them. Can we?"_

_ "Of course, honey. Anything you girls want, Embry and I are right here for you."_

There was another pause, this time, longer. Too long.

_ "Honey, are you still with me?"_

"Bells?"

A few more incredibly tense seconds of silence circled around inside Jacob's head. He began to breathe a little harder and shorter. His hands began to shake as well.

_"Bella? Bells! Honey, answer me! Keep talking to me!" _

More silence. Then,...finally...achingly slowly...she responded and Jacob felt his heart begin to beat again.

_"Jake, are you still here?"_

_ "Yes! Honey! What happened? Are you guys okay?" _

_"We're okay. One of the Volturi guard just opened the door to the box we're in."_

Jacob's heart once again leaped into his throat and he squeezed his eyes shut tightly. The timbre of his thoughts was low, menacing and filled with trepidation.

_"What did he do, Bells?"_

_"Well, it's funny. He shoved a couple of blankets through the door, threw a bottle of water at me, he missed, and when he closed and locked the door_  
_back, he opened a little door in the middle of it and left it open. He said they didn't want us to arrive in Volterra dead."_

Jacob didn't think it was funny in the slightest. He was going to lay waste to the entire village of Volterra if he had to. These bastards had no idea who  
they were fucking with. He did his best to lighten his thoughts for his beloved wife.

_"I'm glad they aren't trying to kill you on the plane ride, honey. You and Kate bundle up and stay close together still. Just sip the water, don't gulp it._  
_Now that you have some air flow, it's safe to go to sleep, if you can. Try to rest baby. We'll be there very soon. And I'm right here, honey."_

_"Okay baby. I'll contact you if anything changes. I miss you."_

_"I miss you, too, Bells."_

Jacob glanced back at Embry. He was staring out the window, a troubled expression on his face and a vacant but worried look in his eyes. Jacob decided  
to censor what had happened to just information about the blankets, water and air. No need to tangle up Embry's mind any more than it already was.

He looked over at Carlisle who sat perfectly straight, hands on his knees, eyes closed. He looked a bit like an android that had shut down for recharging.  
Jacob shook his head at the ludicrousness that was his life. When would they ever be free of the evil monsters that populated their world?

"Carlisle? Are we going to have to go all the way to Italy to catch them, do you think?"

The doctor opened his eyes and looked at Jacob sorrowfully.

"I hope we won't, Jacob. We will have to refuel at least once to get to Italy, but I'm guessing they will have to stop for fuel, also. I don't think even a huge  
commercial jet can make it from Washington to Italy non-stop. At any rate, I doubt Alec could charter an aircraft that big. I can't promise you that I'm right,  
but I wouldn't wager against it."

"Are you a gambler, Doc?"

"Living this existence, in this world, making it through a few hundred years mostly unscathed, I'd say I would have to be, wouldn't you?"

"Yeah, I guess I'd have to agree with you there. I hope you're right, Carlisle. If they harm a hair on Bella's or Katherine's head, you can't imagine what we will  
do when we catch up to them."

"Actually, Jacob, I can imagine it, quite clearly. I witnessed the power of the wolves up close and personal at the newborn battle. I also happened to know  
that you 'stopped' Edward with your bare human hands. I know your strengths as well as your weaknesses, though there aren't many of those. Mainly,  
you're hamstrung by your love for your family, your brothers, but mostly, by your love for Bella. Far be it from me to coach you, but if I were in your position,  
I would try to channel that love into power and focus it where it will do the most good. You, your Pack, the imprints, and especially Bella, are stronger together  
than apart. You're unique connection with Bella has the potential to face and destroy threats head on. At least that's my opinion from my studies so far. But  
don't take my word for it. You should feel it yourself so you can understand it and utilize it. Sorry, I don't mean to be laying unrequested advice on you."

Jacob looked at the doctor with a calculating glance.

"No, that's okay, Carlisle, really. I appreciate you sharing your opinion and observations. I just hope you're onto something that we can really use. I appreciate  
your take on our weaknesses, too. There's no way around that situation. When the people we love are threatened, our perspective naturally changes. But I like  
your idea of channeling our feelings, our emotions, to a position of power that we can use to our advantage. We'll have to talk about that with the others."

"You know, Jasper is on his way to meet us. We'll probably be refueling in Chicago, possibly New York, unless the Volturi stop sooner than that to refuel,  
and he can be with us almost instantly. His abilities as a strategist could be of infinite use to the Pack, in any situation, not just now."

"You have a good point there, Doc. Maybe we can work together again."

At that moment, two things happened simultaneously.

Esme turned to look back into the cabin at us.

"I've caught sight of an aircraft that might be the one we're following. They're losing altitude rapidly. They're either landing to refuel...or they're running  
out of fuel...and they're going down."

And Bella woke up in Jacob's head.

_"Jacob! I was able to access my Spirit and move outside the box! Something's happening! There's shouting toward the front of the plane, and we seem to_  
_be slowing down. And our ears are popping, so I think we may be landing or something."_

_"I'm here, Bells. I think we might be right behind you. We might be able to see you. Stay with me, honey, stay with me."_

_"I'm here, Jake. I'm right there by your side."_


	26. Chapter 26

A/N: Thank you readers and reviewers. You guys are just awesome! It makes me break out in a big Jake smile  
when I hear from you about my little story here.  
Thanks to by bestest Beta, Murfy. Love ya, babe.

Okay, now, let's go kick some V-turi butt, shall we?

By His Side

Chapter Twenty Six

JPOV

I moved up the aisle quickly and peered through the open cockpit door, over Esme's shoulder and out the windshield of the jet. The big jet ahead  
of us looked small from this distance but I could still see that it had three engines, one under each wing and one in the tail. What made my heart  
drop to the pit of my stomach and lay there refusing to beat again was the trail of dark smoke coming from the engine under the right wing.

"Esme, is that engine on fire?"

She didn't respond immediately and I tore my eyes away from the scene in front of us to look at her face. Her expression was one of total concentration.  
She glanced up at me and, pressing her lips together tightly, gave a small nod of her head.

"Will that thing fly with two engines?"

I choked out the next question through my tightened throat.

"Or are they going down?"

She answered me very quietly, as if saying it too loudly would make it more likely to happen.

"Jacob, if the pilot knows what he's doing, they are alright. If he shuts down the fuel supply to that engine, he can then activate the fire suppression  
systems. They will need to make an emergency landing. If the pilot is inexperienced, if he doesn't cut off fuel flow, the fire could spread and damage  
the structure of the wing. I don't have to tell you the consequences possible in that scenario. I'm sorry to be so blunt."

"No Esme, that's okay. What I need now is facts, not sugar-coating. I appreciate your candor. Is there an airport close by that's big enough for them to  
set that thing down?"

"Well, that's hard to say, Jacob. We are just about over the point of no return between Spokane and Great Falls. Any air field in this area is going to be  
on the small side. I really can't tell what their pilot might decide, or be forced to do. I'm sorry I don't know enough to help."

"You're doing fine Esme. Thank you again for helping us. Just please don't lose sight of them."

During my conversation with Esme, Embry had quietly walked up behind me, eavesdropping for any news to possibly settle his nerves, and his wolf. Wolves  
aren't especially happy in enclosed spaces, certainly not in enclosed spaces with no escape, other than leaping to our death, from 12,000 feet, going 180  
miles an hour. All of us were beginning to get antsy, and not just from the loss of two of our Pack imprints.

I had been squatted down next to Esme's seat talking to her for only a few minutes, when Embry latched down on my shoulder, digging in his fingers and  
pointing out the windshield, unable to speak. The jet in front of us had begun an even more rapid descent than before, smoke still streaming from that right  
engine. Esme throttled back on her engines, slowing our airspeed and descending right behind the demons in front of us. As we continued down, I began to  
frantically scan the view for any sign of an airport below us. I saw nothing. Please God, tell me he's not going to crash the thing on purpose!

"Esme...?"

"I'm not sure, Jacob. No wait, look there, twelve o'clock, low!"

We craned our necks and squinted at the too rapidly approaching ground. Things below us were beginning to take on recognizable shapes. I could see  
highways and rivers and soon I was able to get more of a 3-D look at the lay of the land. This was the Rocky Mountains. There were no wide open spaces  
with nice paved runways. Finally, my eyes focused on what Esme had seen. A lake. A pretty damn, big lake. Oh God.

"Esme, is that where he's headed? Really? Can he do that without totaling the whole thing?"

"He's either nuts, or he's got nerves of steel. Yes, he could do it. There's enough clear territory on that south side of the lake for him to set down and just skid  
into the water. They will need to get out fast. An aircraft that size will sink like a stone. They're airtight, not watertight. They're not meant to be. Plus, the damage  
to the undercarriage upon impact will rip holes where the landing gear will be torn off. All that then hinges on his ability to hold the plane straight and level until  
touchdown."

Embry and I looked at each other and stared back at Esme dumbfounded and terror-stricken. Carlisle came up behind us then and gave each of us a hard look  
after exchanging a brief, silent word with his wife.

"Jacob, whatever that pilot does, we will follow. Esme can land this craft in a space smaller than you would imagine. Tell the rest of your group to get on the floor  
of the cabin and tuck their heads as low as they can, you two should join them."

He then took the co-pilot's seat next to Esme and they nodded to one another grimly. Embry and I backed up a few paces and crouched down, making ourselves  
as compact as possible. The rest of the Pack followed our lead, wedging themselves between the seats.

"Everybody, be ready. As soon as we stop moving, we're out that door. It looks like the lunatics are going to try to set the thing down in a lake. Seth and Leah,  
as soon as you're outside, phase and stay at the water's edge. If anything comes out of that water that isn't one of us, grind it up, got it? Be aware that they may  
have coerced a human to fly the plane for them. There are only five vamps that we are certain are on board."

_"Bells? Can you hear me, baby?"_

_"Right here, Jake. They're saying we're going down! Something about a fire! What's happening?"_

_"Honey, that's the truth. One of the engines is on fire and it looks as if the idiot is going to try to land on a piece of flat ground and skid the plane into a lake. Now,_  
_listen to me, baby. You and Katherine bundle yourselves up in those blankets and curl up together as tightly as you can, okay? It's going to be rough, Bells, I'm_  
_not going to lie to you. But I promise you we will be there just minutes after you're down. We will get you out, baby."_

_"I know you will, Jake. We trust you. I trust you baby. With all my heart."_

_"Brace yourselves, honey. We're on our way."_

I wanted so badly to stand and watch out the cockpit windows to see what was happening, but I knew if I wasn't hunkered down when we touched down, it could  
throw me on my head and take me out. Couldn't have that. Embry and I each had a death grip on the edges of the cockpit door bulkhead. He jerked his head in  
the direction of the hatch and stairs behind him and I saw that he had his foot braced against the release handle. That would open the cabin door and trigger the  
stairs to unfold at the same time. I nodded at him in approval of his plan.

"Carlisle! Tell us what's going on!"

The doctor gave us a running commentary.

"It won't be much longer. I'd say they are less than a mile from the lake. He's got his gear down and he's setting it down fast. He's coming in pretty hot. His airspeed  
is too much."

I glanced up at Embry. We locked eyes and silently communicated our reassurances to each other. Turning my head toward the back of the cabin, I saw everyone  
else's eyes were closed, their lips moving in fervent prayer. Carlisle reported to us almost continuously.

"Only a few hundred feet now, Jacob. He has almost cleared the last of the trees before the clearing. He's holding it pretty level and he's maintaining a straight flight  
path. He has backed off on his airspeed somewhat. Wait for it. There! He's got his back gear on the ground, flaps up, nose gear touchdown. He's reversed his engines  
and he's standing on his brakes. Esme, will you have room?"

"Just barely, but enough. There's the water Jacob. He's definitely going in. At least the weight and size of the jet will stop it fast once it's waterborne. I'll tell you when."

This was going to drive us all fucking insane.

Esme didn't have to wait long. Seconds later she reported the status of the big jet.

"Okay, everybody, he's in the water. Give me another two minutes."

We could only hope that the lake wasn't so deep it could swallow the jet completely. If felt like hours, but in less than two minutes, Esme made a miraculous but hard  
landing. Carlisle helped her stand on the brakes and threw the engines in reverse while she held tight to the yolk. The plane skidded sideways, stopping just 50 feet  
from the edge of the lake.

Embry thrust his foot against the hatch release and the door to the cabin flew back on its hinges, shooting the stairs down before we completely stopped moving.  
Like a team of paratroopers plunging out of an aircraft all at once, we burst as one from the cabin. Embry, Daniel and I all hit the ground at a dead run for the water  
that was still churned up like a gale on the ocean. Seth and Leah phased and stationed themselves at the shore. Carlisle joined them while Esme taxied the Lear  
around to re-position it for a quick take-off if need be.

We three dove straight for the tail of the big jet. I thanked the Spirits when I saw that the lake was not as deep as I'd feared. The jet was about 35 feet tall from gear  
to the top of the fuselage. The lake at this edge appeared to be around 25 feet, judging by how much of the jet was still visible above the waterline. Daniel and Embry  
circled around the left side toward the cabin door, which had been thrown open as soon as they impacted the water. I took the deepest breath I could hold and dove  
down toward the belly of the jet.

I had to get to the cargo hold before the box prison that Bella and Katherine were locked inside, filled up with water. That little door the bloodsucker had left open so they could get air would now become their worst enemy, allowing water to pour through at an incredible rate.

I swam toward the right-hand set of landing gear and reached up next to the wheel well with both hands. Bracing my feet against the silt-covered bottom of the lake, I rammed both fists through the thin belly skin of aluminum. The jagged edges of the metal ripped through my knuckles and up both arms, filling the water around me with blood. I reached through the pair of holes I'd just made and began to tear away strips of the thin metal sheathing. I soon had a hole big enough to squeeze through, even though this too tore at the skin and flesh over my shoulders and ribcage as I forced myself into the cargo hold. The inward rush of water helped push me up and in,  
but also gushed the bloody water inside with me.

There was nothing in the hold but the big metal box that the girls were in. The water level inside was about 4 feet but rising rapidly. I splashed toward the box and  
was about to begin banging on the walls to see if the girls had made it through the landing, when 2 Volturi guards came charging into the space from the front of  
the plane.

The blood in the water, and the blood all over my body was sucking them toward me, hunger in their eyes. I quickly gauged the height of the hold and phased.  
Thigh-deep water on a man was only paw-deep on the wolf.

The first guard was in my face just before the phase. I snapped him in half with one thrust and caught his head on the way down, tearing it from the torso before  
it hit the swirling water. The second guard jumped out from behind the box prison trying to surprise me from behind. He lunged at my hind quarters; teeth bared  
aiming for my leg. He dug his hands into the fur on my haunch and gripped it tight with his fingers. I spun around in a complete circle, flinging his body out parallel  
to the floor. He came around the end of the arc just in time to connect with the corner of the cargo box. The impact of his body caved in the wall of the container  
and tore him from me with only two handfuls of fur to show for his effort. I continued the spin and caught him in my teeth before he hit the water.

Two down.

Instantly phasing back to my human form I made my way to the hole in the side of the box. Tearing out pieces of metal I enlarged the hole and stepped through.  
Bella and Katherine were both unconscious and floating face-down in the water that had invaded their prison cell. With my heart clenching in fear, I lifted both of  
them in my arms, blankets and all and kicked out the door in the front of the container. Just as I started toward the forward bulkhead door of the cargo hold,  
Embry and Daniel barreled through from the front.

Seeing me covered with blood brought terror to each of their faces as they lurched toward me in the waist deep water. Embry gathered Katherine from my grip  
and turned back toward the front of the plane. Daniel looked as if he would follow them when I called to him and thrust Bella's cold body into his arms.

"Get her out of here, now! I'll make sure the plane is cleared out."

He nodded at the command and, cradling my wife, and destroying my heart, he half swam and half treaded water through the bulkhead door. The blanket in which  
Bella had been wrapped had caught on a jagged metal edge of the container and pulled away from her and Daniel. Thank God he didn't hesitate. He moved as  
rapidly as possible out of the hold. Grabbing the blanket and ripping it in half, I swam back around the container and retrieved the two bloodsucker heads that  
were bobbing in the maelstrom. I tied the two heads together in half of the blanket and pushed the bundle through the hole I'd made in the belly of the fuselage.  
I wrapped the two torsos in the other blanket half, tied the corners, and anchored it to the inside of the container with a pull strap ripped from the wall of the hold.  
I left the legs loose in the water; reasonably certain there could be no reassembling once I was gone.

I swam toward the front of the plane, moving out of the cargo hold into a partial cabin for passengers. I soon saw how Embry and Daniel had taken care of Alec and  
the other guards. The fire from the engine had somehow spread to the cabin and cockpit, and ceiling material that the water hadn't reached was still burning brightly.  
The choking purple smoke and acrid smell told me that the other three leeches in the plane had managed to burn themselves up for us. The cockpit seats were  
fully engulfed in flame and remnants of the bloodsuckers were visible through the door.

Taking several more deep breaths, I prepared to launch myself out through the cabin door into the icy water. My flesh wounds from tearing through the metal  
were beginning to heal, but the process was slowed by my water-logged skin. There was still some blood seeping into the water and there was some stinging  
on my chest and thigh, probably from oil, fuel and other chemicals that might be in the water.

All I wanted to do now was get to the shore and find out how the girls were. Bella and Katherine were my only thoughts as I pushed out into the blackness.

EPOV

Daniel and I drug our bodies and our precious burdens onto the shore, collapsing at the feet of our brother, sister and Carlisle. Seth and Leah immediately began  
CPR on Bella while Daniel and I worked on Katherine. Esme had retrieved the medical kit from the Lear, along with blankets, pillows and dry clothing from an  
emergency stockpile.

In heart-squeezing silence, we tended our charges.

Our teams of two each pumped their chests and blew air into their lungs. The girls were both pale and blue around the lips. Their skin was cold to the touch at  
first, but the proximity of four wolves around them began to boost their lagging body temps.

Katherine was first to come around, coughing up copious amounts of the fetid water. My heart jerked back to life itself when her eyes fluttered open to me.  
Daniel spread out a clean, dry blanket and I wrapped her up in my arms, holding my very life to my chest. Daniel stroked Katherine's forehead and kissed her  
cheek before turning to spread out another blanket for Bella. He doubled it and laid it across Bella's legs and lower body, leaning close to add his body heat  
as well. Leah and Seth pumped and breathed tirelessly. Carlisle listened to her chest with his stethoscope. Esme checked her pupils with a tiny flashlight.  
When the agonizing minutes seemed as if they would simply stop, Bella's body jerked violently, once. A fit of coughing, an expulsion of water and she shivered  
back to us.

Her eyes opened, blinking from the harsh, smoky air. She scanned the friends and family around her and through her trembling, blue lips she rasped out a question.

"Where's Jacob?"


	27. Chapter 27

By His Side

Chapter Twenty Seven

Unknown POV

When I could finally bring myself to open my eyes, though all movement of the plane had stopped, the noise around the  
cockpit was deafening. The fire that had traveled through the ventilation system and entered the cockpit was still blazing  
brightly. I was sitting in about a foot of water, curled into a ball under the pilot's side of the instrument panel. The electrical  
pops and sizzling sparks were jumping around my head and stinging the skin on my ears and the side of my face and neck.  
I blinked several times to clear my vision of nasty water and smoke. I shook my head a couple of times, trying to make my  
mind accept what I was seeing.

The co-pilot's seat, the carpet on that side of the cockpit, and the ceiling were ablaze. The three "people" that had occupied  
the cockpit with me were also on fire. But this was like nothing I had ever seen. I had fought in the war, I had seen people die  
by fire. These weren't people. They weren't screaming, they weren't moving. They were perfectly still, and yet blazing away,  
smoke pouring off of them. The smoke was purple and smelled like nothing I had ever experienced. The kid's eyes were open  
and as I watched in horror his eyes started changing. What looked like blue contact lenses began to crackle and wrinkle and  
then melt. What was exposed were crimson irises. I stared and knew that I would never be able to drink that sight out of my  
head, not if I lived to be a hundred and had access to an unlimited supply of the best liquor available.

I had tried to tell them that the plane was not ready for a flight and wasn't air-worthy just yet. The money they offered had  
nothing to do with it, even though it was enough to buy a whole nother plane. I was certain they were up to no good when  
I saw that wad of cash. But when the boy stared me down with those purple eyes, I somehow couldn't make myself say no  
to them. I think the fire in the starboard engine may have saved my life. I told them we were going to have to make an  
emergency landing in Spokane. That kid leaned down and whispered in my ear, and I simply passed by the approach for the  
regional airport. I was powerless to resist and stand up for myself, and the panic I should have been feeling simply wasn't  
there.

When I told them we were going down no matter what I did, I didn't for a moment think I was going to survive. That damn  
lake was a God-send. You don't land just anywhere in the Rockies. They're mountains for crissake. Then that flame shot out  
of the vent on the starboard side of the cockpit and turned the cloak on that one freak into a bonfire. In a matter of seconds,  
all three of them were going up, without a word, and I was huddled in the corner losing my mind. After getting the plane into  
the water, I was afraid to move. All I could do was sit there and watch my 'clients' burn. When the flames had consumed them,  
and the seat and ceiling had run out of material to burn the flames were extinguished. The water seeping in doused the flames  
on the carpet and I finally woke up to the reality that I needed to get the fuck out of this floating coffin.

I stumbled to my feet and lurched out through the cockpit door, but there I froze in my tracks. I was standing nearly on top of  
the biggest man I had ever seen. He was lying face-down just at the hatchway leading out of the cabin. He was definitely not one  
of the original albino passengers that had waylaid me at the airport. His skin was dark tan, like a Native American, and his hair  
was jet black, and,...he was buck-ass naked. I didn't know where he had come from, why he was here in my plane, but I knew  
he wasn't one of 'them'. He had been in some kind of fracas, he was bloody and covered with bruises, scrapes and scratches.  
The water was rising fast, and he easily floated up to me, his body turning in the tide. I wrapped my arm around his chest in a  
life-saving hold and moved through the hatch and kicked toward the surface as hard as I could. Reaching the surface, I sucked  
in a huge gulp of air and began a side-stroke with my lifeless burden clutched to my side. I glimpsed some figures on the lakeshore  
and tried to find my voice to call for help. My throat was raw and tight and all I could manage was a croak and a cough. My strength  
was waning and I reached a point where I could only float with my companion, no longer able to move my arms or legs. The edges  
of my vision began to blur and then blacken.

Daniel's POV

Just as Bella asked where Jacob was, we all looked around and realized he wasn't with us. That meant he was still in the plane,  
under the water, and my blood froze in my veins. Embry was still holding Katherine to his chest but he was frantically scanning  
the surface of the water. Bella was struggling against Leah and Seth, trying to get to her feet, though she was as weak as a kitten.  
They held her down as I headed back toward the lake, intent on going back down to find Jacob. Just as I reached the water's edge,  
something broke the surface. A gray headed man, clutching Jacob's limp body, was trying to swim to the shore. I splashed into  
the water and just as the man's limbs stopped stroking, I grabbed his shirt collar and towed the two limp bodies to the shore. Seth  
and Carlisle met me at the edge and together we got both men up to dry ground. The old man was unhurt but exhausted from the  
exertion of hauling Jacob's massive body to the surface and trying to swim with him. Jacob's condition was a different matter.

Carlisle was checking him out when he came upon the evidence of why Jacob hadn't rejoined us under his own power. A partial  
vampire bite on his thigh told the story. Carlisle explained to me about the poisonous effect of vampire venom on wolves. He said  
it could be fatal. I looked at Embry, Seth and Leah hoping to see some expression of reassurance. There was none. When Bella  
heard Carlisle's comment upon discovering the bite-mark, she went over the edge. Her hysterics nearly threw Leah and Seth off  
of her. Esme joined them to help hold her down. We all watched, mesmerized and terrified, as Carlisle attempted to suck the venom  
out of Jacob's system. It was the most amazing thing I had ever witnessed. I glanced next to me and saw that the old man who  
had saved Jacob had come to and was sitting up, watching the scene unfolding in front of us. His mouth was hanging open and  
his eyes were wide. This was going to take some serious quick thinking and flimsy explanations.

After a few tense moments, Carlisle crouched down to listen to Jacob's breathing and check his pulse. He told us he thought he had  
gotten all of the venom because Jacob's blood had finally begun to taste pure to him. He had actually spit out the blood he had sucked  
from Jacob. I was stunned at his level of control. No wonder Jacob and the Pack trusted this vampire doctor. Leah and Seth finally  
released Bella from their grip and she scrambled over to Jacob and Carlisle. Carlisle spread a blanket over him and Bella cradled his  
head in her lap, giving the doctor a pleading look.

Esme announced that she had the jet ready to transport us back to Port Angeles and we began gathering up our patients and the  
supplies. The gray haired man was still just sitting on the ground watching us all with an expression of extreme confusion. Carlisle  
and I slowly approached him and asked him if felt able to walk, telling him we would take him back to Port Angeles with us. He  
nodded and stood up, still staring at Jacob's still form as Bella stroked his face and arms and spoke soothing words in his ear. I  
decided to try to put the man at ease.

"We really appreciate what you did for our friend. He probably wouldn't have made it without you. Tell me Sir, what's your name?"

He stared at me uncomprehendingly for a moment. Finally he shook off his stupor.

"Pitt. My name's Clive Pitt."

"Is that your plane?" I asked, jerking my head toward the wreck in the lake.

"Yeah. It used to be anyway. Not really salvageable now." He looked a little forlorn.

"Maybe on the return journey, you can tell us what happened."

He narrowed his eyes at me giving me a hard perusal. I squirmed uneasily under his steady gaze. I was out of my depth here.

"Yeah, I'll tell you what happened. If you'll tell me what you people are."

I jerked my attention up to Carlisle and scanned around the rest of our group. Everyone had questioning looks of fear on their  
faces. This was gonna get hairy, I could tell already.

BPOV

The silence when the old man said he wanted to know what we were was, well, if someone had had a pin. Daniel looked to me, I  
looked to Embry. We would have to figure out something fast, or just come clean. There might not be a way around it this time.  
Leah, Seth, Daniel and Carlisle lifted Jacob's body and carried it to the little private jet sitting by the lake. To my shock, Esme  
approached the man and asked if he'd like to take the co-pilot's seat next to her. Next to her? My million questions were slowly  
answered as we got ready to leave the scene of the crime. I didn't know what else you could call it. Sure enough, Esme stepped  
up the stairs and turned left into the cockpit of the little jet. The old man, the shock on his face mirroring my own, joined her and  
took the seat on the right. Esme quickly began starting engines, flipping switches and readying the craft for our flight back to freedom.

A pallet had been made in the aisle for Jacob. Embry and Daniel carefully placed his body on a thick pile of blankets they had collected.  
They took seats on either side of Jacob's head, Leah and Seth taking positions on either side of his feet. Katherine sat in Embry's lap,  
not able or willing to be separated from him. Carlisle sat next to Jacob's left hand side to monitor his condition during the flight. I  
sat in the aisle with Jacob's head in my lap. I couldn't bring myself to keep my hands off him. I had to have skin to skin contact or I  
would lose my mind. I had to feel him, to know he was still with me. Carlisle reached down and gave my hand a little squeeze.

"He'll be alright, Bella. He just needs a little extra recovery time than normal. His physical injuries are already healing. His blood  
will take a while to rid itself of the remaining traces of the venom. There's not enough left to do any permanent damage, I promise you."

I knew Carlisle would never lie to me about something this important. I had to trust him and believe that My Jacob would come back  
to me. I would be right by his side when he did.

Embry's POV

My Alpha was going to survive. My imprint was sleeping in my arms. My Alpha's mate was regaining her strength and was still human.  
She was NOT on her way to Italy. The leeches that took her were burned. I should have been able to relax on the return flight. I  
supposed I would be able to breathe better when Jake came around. A vampire bite on a wolf was not to be taken lightly, even if it  
was a partial bite and Carlisle said he got all the venom out in time. He said there was a minute trace still in Jake's bloodstream.  
He seemed confident that Jake's natural wolf healing abilities would handle that small amount. I hoped so.

Daniel and Leah were gazing longingly at each other from their seats at opposite ends of the cabin. I gently shifted Katherine a bit in  
my arms and stepped over Jake and Bella to stand next to Leah. She looked up at me, puzzled, when I nodded toward the seat I had  
vacated across the aisle from Daniel. She gave me a grateful smile and moved forward to take a position closer to her new imprint.  
I sank into the seat with Katherine, understanding exactly what Leah was feeling. I smiled as Daniel reached his hand across to her  
and she placed hers into his grasp. Her happiness was going to be good for the entire Pack and I was looking forward to celebrating  
our new imprints with her. I turned my face back down to Katherine's lovely countenance. She looked tired but peaceful and I  
snuggled her body a little tighter against my chest.

Omnipotent POV

The little private jet maneuvered around until it was at the furthest point from the lake on the short, mostly level area where it had landed.  
The big jet had gouged up the ground in several places but there was just enough room for the little jet to get airborne. Just enough. Luckily,  
the pilot and the newly deputized co-pilot were both absolute experts at this sort of tight take-off. As the engines burst forth with their full  
available thrust, the jet began to shudder as the two in the cockpit held the brakes down together until the last possible second. Suddenly  
releasing them, the tiny craft shot across the open space toward the lake. The nose was pointed straight at the water and lifted just feet  
from the edge. The back wheels grazed the surface of the water before dribbling above the site of the wreckage. The jet gained altitude  
rapidly, banking sharply toward the setting sun, leaving the chaos behind.

Unseen by any of the passengers, the hidden bed of silty, muddy quicksand at the bottom of the lake slowly began to bubble. Within minutes,  
the huge jet, all its contents and all evidence of any unusual occurrence had been swallowed up never to be seen again. A cool Rocky Mountain  
breeze soon cleared away all dust and purple smoke.


	28. Chapter 28

A/N: Thank you readers and reviewers. Please forgive the delay. I'll see to Jake now.

By His Side

Chapter Twenty Eight

As the little jet winged its way toward its refueling stop in Port Angeles, Esme and Clive began to get acquainted. Esme was trying to find  
out exactly what Clive had seen and get some background information on him as well, while Clive was trying to get a grip on the unnaturalness  
of most of the people he had met in the last five hours. Some of them made him nervous; some of them elicited feelings of compassion from  
him, and some of them simply scared the piss out of him. The conversation could only be described as stilted. At a lull in the exchange, Clive  
leaned over to look down the passageway between the seats in the main part of the cabin. The giant native he had pulled up from the bottom  
of the lake was still unconscious, lying on a thick bed of blankets in the aisle between the rows of seats. The little girl who had been cradling his  
head in her lap was now stretched out beside him with one arm thrown across his chest and the other circled under his neck. One of her legs  
was extended across his thighs as if she was trying to hold him down, though he wasn't struggling. He was perfectly still.

Bella closed her eyes as she hugged her body as closely around Jacob as possible. She fought to relax enough to allow her spirit to free itself. After  
several deep breaths, she began to ease the tension in her muscles. Finally she began to drift into the familiar realm between sleep and wakefulness.  
She found herself wandering aimlessly in a seemingly endless fogbank. She could neither see nor feel nor hear anything. It gave her a touch of vertigo  
just realizing she could not even see the apparently solid surface upon which she was walking.

Jacob was experiencing a similar situation. He was floating freely in a featureless cloud. He didn't have the luxury of standing in an upright position.  
It was as if he was in a free fall minus the sensation of the wind rushing past him as he plummeted toward Earth. He found that the only sense that  
he did have that was functioning was his sense of smell. For he could smell Bella. The jasmine and lavender fragrance was unmistakable. He struggled  
to make sure that his eyes were open so he could search for his lady. He missed her so badly and he desperately needed to see that she was okay  
after her ordeal that she shared with Katherine. He knew that Daniel would take excellent care of Bella, but he needed to see her for himself.

Why was he here instead of with her? Where was here anyway? How did he get here? How was he supposed to leave when he didn't even know which  
way he needed to go? His body simply tumbled in slow motion and he was unable to affect the movement voluntarily. He was lost and at the mercy  
of the absence of his senses. He realized his mouth would work and all he could do was call for Bella. At first it was just a croak, then he coughed and  
cleared his throat and tried again.

_"Bella! Where are you, honey? I can't find you baby. Can you hear me?"_

Lost in her wanderings, Bella's head snapped up at the sound of her mate's voice.

_"Jacob! I hear you baby. Talk to me. Where are you?"_

_"I don't know honey. I can't see anything. Follow my voice. Can you follow the sound?"_

_"I'm coming Jake! Keep talking baby!"_

_"Tell me what's going on honey! Are you alright? How's Katherine? What happened? I don't remember anything after Embry and Daniel left the  
plane with you and Kate. Did everybody get out okay? Where is everyone now?"_

By the time Jacob finish his list of questions, Bella had reached a point where she glimpsed his form ahead of her. She approached him quickly but  
cautiously. His body was flat and horizontal but was suspended in the air level with her waist. There was nothing supporting him that she could see.  
As she neared him his head turned toward her and he smiled broadly.

_"Oh Bella! Hey baby! I'm so glad to see you! Are you alright?"_

_"Yes Jake, I'm fine. But what is wrong with you? What can I do baby?"_

_"I don't know honey. I can't seem to do anything to affect my movement or position. I'm just hanging here."_

Bella reached out to place her hand tenderly on Jacob's cheek. The moment she touched him, sparks surged across his body and up her arm. The crackling  
reached a crescendo and faded slowly revealing Jacob's wolf, russet fur flowing silky and shiny. Bella's heart thrilled to see the beautiful creature that was the  
beast inside her true love. She heard his voice in her head.

_"Bella! You brought your Spirit Wolf out! You're so beautiful as a wolf baby!"_

Bella looked down and saw two large mahogany-furred front paws. She shook her head and felt two large ears flop back and forth. She licked her lips and  
the large, long tongue lapped up across her long muzzle.

_"Jake, I came here, wherever here is, as a human. I didn't summon the wolf. I only accessed my Spirit to try to reach you. And now you are in front of me  
as your wolf too."_

_"When you touched me honey. That brought them out somehow. At least I'm standing on a solid surface now and not floating aimlessly in the air."_

_"I think my Spirit Wolf is supposed to lead you out of here, Jake. But I still don't see anything but this fog all around."_

_"Maybe your Spirit knows the way out on its own Bells. Just go in the direction that feels right. I'm right beside you."_

The mahogany wolf turned her head around in an arc from far left to far right. She could see no features or boundaries. She closed her eyes and tried  
to _'feel'_ which way they should go. The russet wolf stood close by her side and nuzzled against her face. She opened her eyes to see love and encouragement  
in the golden eyes that were gazing into hers. Soon she struck out in a random direction that did indeed_ 'feel'_ right to her. The two wolves walked  
side by side in silence.

As the little jet neared Port Angeles Airport, the passengers began to fidget uneasily in their seats. The Alpha wolf and his mate were both still lying on  
the pallet in the aisle, both seemingly unconscious. Bella had not responded to any outside stimulus since she had wrapped herself around Jacob and  
closed her eyes. The stop for fuel would only take a half hour and nobody planned to leave the plane. Esme looked at Clive as the fuel truck dispensed  
a fresh supply into the Lear's tanks. Their discussion so far had yielded only one concrete fact. Clive knew something was weird about these people and  
he intended to stick with them until he found out exactly what that was.

"You're sure I can't persuade you to just walk away and not look back and to forget about all this?"

"Sorry Ma'am. I've seen a lot of things in my time. I've seen some pretty fantastic things. But I have a distinct feeling that you folks are fixin' to make  
the top of my list of all-time craziest, and I ain't aiming to turn my back on that."

Esme sighed heavily and returned the old man's scrutiny. She shook her head sadly and turned back to her instruments and her checklist. There was  
nothing more she could do without resorting to dazzling the man and this; she had promised Carlisle long ago, she would not do. They would simply have  
to return to Forks with Mr. Pitt in tow and somehow incorporate him into their circle. Little did he know they would probably not allow him to leave Forks,  
ever. Little did Esme realize, he wouldn't want to.

Back in the cabin, Embry and Seth had been conversing quietly across the aisle.

"What are we gonna do if she's still like that when we get back, Embry?"

"The only thing we can do, Seth. We carry her and Jake both back to their house, together, and we watch over them until they come around. We know  
that they are both going to be alright eventually. Carlisle has told us as much. But I don't think it would be advisable to try to separate them physically.  
If you ask me, they look like they may be joined spiritually right now. And I for one don't intend to tamper with that at all."

"Yeah, I guess you're right. I agree about not trying to separate them. They certainly do seem to be 'connected' to each other. Do you think they're  
going to be okay?"

"I don't know for certain, Seth. But I have faith. Faith in the Spirits and faith in Bella and faith in Jake. All we can do is make them comfortable, guard  
their bodies, and wait."

Carlisle turned and spoke to the two boys as their discussion dwindled to an uneasy silence.

"I think you have a very valid point, Embry. I believe they both will be fine but I think they should remain together, in physical contact, for the time  
being. Their vital signs can be monitored easily enough at their home. Esme or I can do that, or we can leave instruments with you and someone from  
the Pack can do it."

"Thanks Carlisle. That may be the way we want to go for now. You understand, I hope."

"Of course, Embry. I completely understand."

The Lear taxied out and took off once more, bound this time for Forks Airport. When they landed, Carlisle, Esme and Clive left for the Cullen residence  
in Carlisle's car. Esme assured Embry that she would take care of dribbling information to Mr. Pitt a little at a time so as not to shock him too badly.  
He told her to only share their part of the story and to leave the Pack's part for him or Jacob to divulge. She agreed that would be best.

The four Pack members lifted their Alpha and his mate together on the blankets like they were a stretcher. They had called ahead for transportation  
for them and they carefully placed them in the back of Sam's pickup truck. Embry and Katherine rode with them in the back, while Leah, Daniel and  
Seth ran as wolves. They all converged on Bella and Jacob's cottage and carried the duo up to their bedroom, settling them on the bed as gently as  
possible and covering them with a soft blanket. Jared and Paul took the first watch so the four that had travelled all night and day could get to their  
homes and have some food and rest. Embry and Katherine headed for his mom's and Daniel accompanied Leah and Seth to their home. There was  
much ground to cover for both of the newly imprinted couples. And everyone waited anxiously for news of the Alpha and his mate.

The mahogany and russet wolves walked slowly through the fog, afraid to tread on unseen surfaces without care. Gradually the fog seemed to thin  
somewhat and they picked up their pace in anticipation. It wasn't long before they actually had scenery to look at. They were in a forest. But was it  
their forest? They couldn't be sure. Something about it looked a little off. The trees were not so tall or plentiful and they seemed not to be the right  
kind of trees. The terrain was wrong too. Instead of meadows or mossy rocks and ferns, the ground was knee deep in amber grasses. They walked  
through what appeared to be fields of wheat growing and waving in the breeze. The further they walked, the more certain they were that they were  
not in Washington anymore. Jacob's thoughts couldn't contain his mirth.

_"Bells? Is it just me, or does this look like...Kansas?"_

_"I was just thinking that very thing, Jake! Do you think perhaps I made a wrong turn?"_

She giggled and he shook his head. It tickled when she did that. He gave her a playful shove with his nose.

_"Maybe we should have taken that left at Albuquerque."_

_"Jake! This really isn't funny. We need to get out of here. I'm tired and I want to go home."_

_"I'm sorry, baby. I am too. I'll stay quiet. You're the one with the inner compass that's supposed to be getting us out of this. So do your thing  
Ms. Explorer/Adventurer. I'm right on your tail."_

_"You're a nut."_

_"Yes. But I'm your nut, and you love me."_

_"Yes. Yes I do. Now shut it."_

_"Yes Ma'am."_

When Dr. and Mrs. Cullen arrived home with their guest, he was taken aback at the size and grandeur of their house. He was impressed at their affluence  
and its incongruity with their personalities. They both seemed very down to earth, albeit a tad on the pale side. Their hospitality was warm and friendly  
as well, though when Esme handed him a mug of coffee, their fingers brushed together. Clive had never met a woman with fingers that cold. Man! He  
definitely would not want her to caress his cheek for a kiss. She'd give a man frostbite! Good thing the Doctor appeared to be just like her. Maybe she  
didn't feel that cold to him.

They moved to the den to sit and talk where Carlisle had built a roaring fire in the fireplace. He and Esme sat as far away from it as they could, whereas  
Clive sat as close as he dared. For a few moments, the three just looked at each other without speaking at all. Finally, Clive opened the discussion.

"Okay, I realize you folks aren't real keen on letting me into your little private club here. But I swear I'll keep your little secret, whatever it is, and be on  
my way if you'll just answer a couple questions. Deal?"

Carlisle and Esme looked at one another and held a silent conversation with their eyes.

"What is it that you would like to know, Mr. Pitt?"

"Well, first off, I guess I'd like you to tell me if you knew those criminals that hijacked me and my plane."

"Yes, we knew one of them personally. The other four we knew by reputation. They were not part of our..._'club'."_

"So that's why you're obviously not upset about their, uhm...demise?"

"Yes, you could say that's the reason."

"And what would another reason be?"

"The people who hijacked you, Mr. Pitt, were, among other things, kidnappers. The young lady who sat in the tall, quiet boy's lap the whole trip back,  
and the girl who lay in the floor holding onto her husband, had been abducted by that group of five criminals, as you call them. That is exactly what  
they were."

"I see. Okay, next question. Did I or did I not see three of those 'people' burning to ash in the cockpit of my plane without any sound or movement  
out of 'em and givin' off purple smoke?"

"Yes, I suspect you did see that, Mr. Pitt."

"Did I or did I not drag a man out of that plane, who looked to be a seven-foot tall Native American with no clothes on? And please, call me Clive."

Both of the Cullens looked down at their hands folded on their laps and fought off smiles.

"Yes, Clive. That was Jacob Black, a friend of ours."

"Hmmm, not gonna elaborate on that naked part, huh?"

"That would probably be a question better saved for Jacob."

"Okay, fair enough. I'll wrap this up quickly for you then. Why are you two so pasty-faced, why are you hard as a rock and cold as ice, and why the hell  
do you sparkle in the sunlight?"

Apparently Clive felt no need whatsoever to mince words.


	29. Chapter 29

A/N: I own nothing. Thank you readers, favoriters, alerters, reviewers. I love, love, love you all.  
I also love my Beta, Murfy. Thank you so much my baby, mine. Now, let's get crackin'.

By His Side

Chapter Twenty Nine

Two huge wolves. One russet in color. The other mahogany. Walking side by side, closely. Flanks brushing against one another. Muzzles  
occasionally snuffling together. Were anyone to see them, it would be obvious; these two are a mated pair. Were anyone to see. Oh, if  
only they knew!

Sometimes, the russet wolf slows down just a bit. The mahogany slows to match his gait. Once or twice, the russet has limped, once or  
twice, he has stumbled ever so slightly. The mahogany watches him closely. She stays right by his side, always. As they move onward,  
perhaps he is getting better. He may be loosening up, getting his second wind, hitting his stride. She urges him tenderly. She encourages.

She touches.

The scenery changes constantly. Wheat fields in Kansas? Come on! A sandy, pebbly beach? Now this is more like it. Waves crashing. The  
wolves can smell the salt in the air. They can feel the spray on their pelts. The moisture collects on the tips of each hair in their coats, a  
tiny, singular droplet. They move past tidal pools housing myriad creatures. Starfish, urchins, anemones.

The twilight sky is filled with colors and charged swirls. The Aurora Borealis joins with Saint Elmo's Fire to greet, comfort and surround the  
wolves. The lights dance along the tips of their fur, glowing around their ears and tails. The wolves' eyes are ignited with this fire from the  
Spirits. They are ignited with the fire of their bonding.

Then there are woods. No, not woods. This is a primeval forest. A wilderness, deep, green, dark. The trees are ancient, massive, stretching  
to the sky. The canopy blots out huge chunks of sunlight. There is moss and lichen under paw. There are tall, prehistoric ferns, fronds the  
size of parasols. They drip dew down onto the two lost beasts. The mists hang and stream through the gaps in the pines and sequoias.  
Thunder rumbles in the distance heralding the season's storms.

This looks like the wolves' home. But it is not. It is identical in every way, save one. This place is in the Spiritual realm. This plane is not corporeal.  
The creatures are lost. Together. But lost. Inside their minds. Inside their Spirits. These two Spirit Warriors must bind together. They must help  
each other return home. They have so much to go back for. There is family. There are brothers, sisters, parents. Many who love them wait for them.  
Many have faith they will both come home to their own.

Their family takes turns watching over them. Waiting. They are all recovering from their tribulations and struggles. They have been triumphant over  
their enemies. Now they are home, their adversaries are destroyed and it is time for healing. It is also time for building and beginning new lives.  
Embry and Katherine sit on the loveseat in Bella and Jacob's bedroom. The pair of lovers on the bed are still absent from this reality. They have not  
been separated, only transported from lake shore to jet to truck to their bed. They are still tightly wound together. So are Embry and Katherine.  
Their love is blooming as surely as did the love of the pair who is sleeping in front of them. Katherine snuggles her head into the dip on Embry's  
shoulder. His strong arms are wrapped tightly around her as she cuddles in his lap. She speaks soft and low to her new love.

"How long have you guys been friends?"

Embry gazes at the serene faces of the couple under the blankets and a smile plays on his lips.

"Almost all our lives. Jake, Quil and I were hell on wheels from the time we could walk. We stayed in permanent trouble, but always together. We had  
each others' back even then. Bella lived in Forks with her Mom and Dad until they split up and her Mom took her to Arizona. God! How we missed her!  
Charlie would bring her to the Rez when he came to go fishing with Billy and Harry, Leah and Seth's Dad. Jake's Mom was still with us back then and  
she would keep an eye on all eight of us. No telling how she did it. But she was the go-to Mom for all of us, though sometimes Sue Clearwater would  
tag-team with her. After the Swan's break-up we still got to see Bella most holidays and during the summer. It was always so tough when it came  
time for her to go back. Jake took it the hardest. He would mope around for weeks after she had to return to Phoenix in the fall. They wrote letters  
but it still hurt him. Bella would write letters to each of us. She was much better about writing than we were. It was always a bright day when a letter  
would come. Whichever one of us got it, we'd run to the others' house waving the envelope in the air. It was a big deal to all of us."

"When did she and Jake take things to the next level?"

Embry shook his head and rubbed his hand roughly down across his face.

"Oh man! That's a story!"

"I'm not going anywhere."

He looked down into her emerald eyes, silently thanked Taha Aki, and gave her a sweet, lingering kiss.

"Yeah, I know. That's the best part."

"Well? Don't leave me hanging here."

"Oh yeah,...well...there was this family of vampires."

(Hours later)

"And that's Carlisle and Esme's role in this?"

"That's pretty much it. Bella looked into her heart, and made the right decision. She chose life, she chose Jake. The Cullens that are still  
functioning are scattered around now. I guess the ones that aren't, are scattered too. Sorry, bad joke. Guess I'm getting' a little tired. I  
bet you are too, aren't you sweetie."

"Yeah, maybe. Leah and Danny will be here in a few minutes. We can slip away then, what say?"

Embry buried his nose in her hair at the nape of her neck and left a hot, wet kiss there.

"That definitely sounds like a plan, babe."

As scheduled, Leah and Daniel walked into the room just a few minutes later. They greeted the vigilant couple warmly and shooed them away  
for some sustenance and respite. There were hugs and back slaps and encouraging words. The new arrivals stationed themselves closer to the  
sleeping pair. Daniel sat on the floor by the bed and Leah climbed up on Bella's side to check vital signs. She listened to their heartbeats, being  
especially still. She mentally catalogued a rhythm for Bella, then moved the stethoscope to Jake's chest and stilled again. She lifted her eyes to  
look across Jake at Daniel and whispered to him.

"Their hearts are exactly synched. The speed and rhythm is perfectly matched."

She used flat thermometers on their foreheads to monitor their temperatures. Both Bella and Jacob were registering slightly higher than normal  
for each of them.

"Carlisle said we could expect Jacob to run a bit of a fever, but I can't understand why Bella's running hot, too."

Daniel shrugged his shoulders.

"Could it just be her proximity to Jacob? She has been wrapped around him for more than 48 hours now."

"Yeah, I'm sure that's possible. I'll check with Carlisle in a while."

They moved together to the loveseat. Daniel sat first and turned sideways, one leg stretched out in the seat, the other foot on the floor. Leah sat  
between his legs and leaned her back to his chest, relaxing her head against his shoulder.

"This thing has become the lifeguard stand for scanning the area, hasn't it?"

"It has, hasn't it? Well, I can't think of two more important lives for us to be guarding right now, can you?"

"Nope, I can't. I know I haven't been around long, Leah, but I already feel like I belong here. A big part of that is because of you,  
you know. "

Leah turned her head and rubbed her cheek against Daniel's chest. The strength of the double imprint still had them both reeling and discovering  
new aspects of the attraction every day.

"I never in my wildest dreams thought I would have someone like you in my life Danny. How do I begin to explain to you what I've been through  
on my way to this moment?"

"I've seen a lot of it in your mind Lea. I can't really wrap my head around the depth that pain must have carried. I'm just thankful that you toughed  
it out and stayed around for me to find. I feel like I've found the path of the rest of my life. I know in my heart that this is where I'm supposed to be.  
With you."

"And you and Kate have been just up the road all these years. We never could have guessed the connection would be so close. And this entire  
shit storm that we've all been through has led us to this place, in this time. I'm comforted that the future's not so cloudy and gloomy now, but  
I'm sorry for the losses we've all had to endure."

Daniel pulled in a deep, jerky breath. The pain of loss was much more recent for Katherine and him. Leah wrapped her arms over and around his  
and held him closer to her, empathizing but not pitying.

"I'm so sorry about your parents Danny. I know you and Kate have been through the wringer in the past month, but we've got you now. We've got  
you both and we won't let go. You're home."

"That's what it feels like Lea. It feels like home. All we need now is for our Alpha and his mate to come home, too."

Their eyes fell on the two still forms in the bed. They would keep watch tonight. And tomorrow. And tomorrow. Whatever was necessary, they would be  
there for their Alpha and his girl.

Downstairs in the kitchen, Emily was doin' her thing. She was cooking. She told Sam to install a revolving door at the front of the house because that  
would be much more efficient for handling the steady stream of visitors. Family members, Pack, imprints, Council members, Elders. Thank Taha Aki  
many of them brought food when they came. There was no way. Emily was good, but come on. She only complained about trying to function in  
'another woman's kitchen' saying that Bella would thrash her soundly for moving everything around in here. She had every faith that Bella would  
have that opportunity. So she cooked, and she waited.

Old Quil came daily and everyone gathered out back in the garden to pray, chant, meditate. Charlie and Billy had stationed themselves in the den and  
set up semi-permanent camp. The TV and a steady supply of Ranier Beer, their main requirements. They didn't want to get in the way, but they would  
be there for their children. As long as it took.

Mid-morning of the second day, Clive Pitt knocked lightly on the door of the Alpha's residence. Charlie let him in and he and Billy embraced him like a  
long-lost brother. This is the man who had saved Jacob's life. Clive tried to brush it off as a simple thing.

"Come on, now, Mr. Black. I had to get out of the damn plane. Jacob just hitched a ride with me. Natural buoyancy took care of the rest."

"Call me Billy, and I know better than that Mr. Pi...I mean Clive. We were told the 'complete' story. Embry saw the whole thing. You emerged from the  
lake with Jake in a lifesaving armlock. You held onto him with your last ounce of strength and I am forever in your debt. Thank you, from me, Charlie,  
the Pack, hell, the whole Tribe."

"I echo Billy's sentiments, Clive. If you hadn't pulled Jacob out of that plane, my daughter wouldn't have been able to go on. When they get better and  
are up and around, you'll easily see what those two kids mean to each other. What you did for us all, well...ya can't put a value on it. It's priceless."

Clive ran a weathered hand through his thick shock of silver hair.

"Now, you're gonna embarrass me if y'all keep that up Chief...and Chief. Hmm, guess I better stick to Charlie and Billy, huh? That Chief squared thing  
could get confusing."

Billy and Charlie grinned at each other.

"We prefer to call it Chief to the Power of Two. You understand, right?"

The three men belly-laughed till Sue stuck her head out of the kitchen and shushed them.

"If you three delinquents can't hold it down out here, you'll be dictated duties and errands to get your backsides out of the house, understood?"

They piped down, a little, and Clive leaned over winking conspiratorially.

"Is she a chief, too? She bosses around like one."

Billy and Charlie nodded sagely.

"She might as well be. She wields an iron fist around here. No, wait, that was an iron skillet, wasn't it Billy?"

"Don't start with me, Charlie. You got me that smackdown. I was an innocent bystander till you showed up."

"Innocent!? Bystander?! Clive, I know you've just met most of us, but be wary who you befriend around here. Tall tales abound."

"Clive, look at me. Poor, old, broken down. Do I look I could cause ANY trouble whatsoever?"

"Oh no! I do NOT have a dog in this race! I'm just a humble cargo pilot tryin' to find work. I am not gettin' sucked in to takin' sides."

The consultation began in earnest right then. The tribe could use transportation at times. The City of Forks also had need of air service. Runs  
between reservations, tourist deliveries, medical supplies, rescue transportation. It seemed as if Clive Pitt might consider settling down somewhere  
around La Push and Forks, Washington, if the Chief to the Power of Two had anything to do with it.

Many hundreds of miles away, in a bleak, damp fortress in a rustic village in Italy, a tall, bulky man, with very white skin and very red eyes, sat  
alone in the same throne room where he'd been for hundreds of years. A statuesque beauty, stylishly dressed, approached him warily.

"Marcus? It's been quite a while since anyone has checked in. Do you wish me to send another search party to the United States?"

The creature looked the woman up and down, appraising. He slumped and looked forlorn, defeated, resigned.

"No Heidi. There are only a few of the Guard left. I will not deplete our protection here at our home any further."

He held out his hand to her.

"Sit here with me for a while."

The russet wolf was growing tired. He needed to rest. The mahogany wolf pressed her nose to the side of his muzzle and then nibbled on his  
ear. They lay down on their bellies, on a bed of leaves and moss, tails curled around each other, noses on their paws and close together. They  
would linger here for a while, together. Then they would begin their search, their journey, again, together.


	30. Chapter 30

A/N: Well... all I can say is...I love, love, love anyone who reads and/or reviews this story. I squee like a tiny, tiny girl when I get a review.  
Please punch that button down there at the bottom of the page. Thank you to the best Beta on the planet. Love ya, Murfy!  
Now let's go find us some J and B. mama

By His Side

Chapter Thirty

There was a gathering in Bella and Jacob's bedroom. Luckily it was a large room. Charlie, Billy, Sue and more than half the Pack were  
clustered around the bed watching Carlisle trying to examine the sleeping pair without touching them. With Sue's help, he had gotten  
a sample each of Jacob's blood and Bella's blood. He had returned this morning with his analysis results. His findings were encouraging  
on one hand, on the other, not so much. Jacob's blood appeared totally free of venom. That was the first confirmation that he would  
survive they'd had. Bella's blood inexplicably showed minute traces of venom that he could not explain. Could it possibly be that Bella's  
blood had drawn the toxin from Jacob's? He had certainly seen enough strange things transpire between these two. At this point he was  
ready to try any crazy explanation and ready to believe any of them. He had tasted of the sample of Bella's blood and was astonished to  
detect the identical venom composition that he had sucked from Jacob after the last fight.

"Six weeks ago I wouldn't have thought it possible for this sort of osmosis to take place between two beings. I can't explain it. I won't even  
attempt it. I can only report my findings to all of you and curse the fact that I can't tell anyone else. But then again, any medical journal that  
I might share this with, would laugh me out of town and boot me out of their membership. Alas."

Charlie was the first one in the room to find his voice after Carlisle's revelations.

"Carlisle, you're telling us that Bella's blood, of its own accord, sucked the leftover traces of venom from Jacob's blood, through their skin?  
Are you high?"

The vampire doctor actually laughed out loud, but only briefly.

"That might be nice about now, Chief Swan, but we can't indulge in that any more than food or drink. And, yes, I'm saying that the trace of  
venom in Bella's blood is exactly the same venom that I removed from Jacob's body at the lake. And, yes, osmosis via the skin is the only  
explanation as that is the only contact they have had."

At that moment, the doctor paused, something new occurring to him.

"Did she kiss him?"

"What?"

"Did Bella kiss Jacob before she embraced him like this and dropped into unconsciousness?"

Several in the group, the ones who had been in the aircraft that day, looked at one another in consternation. They were all suddenly replaying that  
horrific time in their minds. Daniel and Leah had been pretty wrapped up in each other. Embry and Katherine realized they had only had eyes for each  
other. Seth had put his head back against the seat's headrest and dozed for most of the flight. Clive and Esme had been in the cockpit, otherwise busy,  
distracted. All eyes then turned back to Carlisle. His eyes were closed, he was obviously deep in thought, replaying the day in his own mind.

"If she did, it happened when I was still outside the plane. I did not witness a kiss, but if she did, that would explain the venom transfer. Otherwise,  
we just have to accept the skin transfer theory. At this point it doesn't really matter. The resultant purity of Jacob's blood is the evidence we needed.  
The tiny trace in Bella's blood will likely be overpowered by her own human antibodies. She still has an ample supply of those in spite of the changes  
she's undergone since the transfusion."

"So they should be coming around just any minute, right Doc?"

"It would seem so, Chief. There is no other medical deterrent to stop either of them from regaining consciousness right away. Surely it will be by the  
end of the day."

The group, as one, gazed longingly at the Alpha and his mate. They were missing their leader. They were missing their daughter, their son, their friends,  
their brother and his girl.

The two wolves were rousing from their long nap. They both rose to their feet and stretched languidly, unkinking their joints and muscles.

"Bells, I think it's time we went home. I think I'm hungry."

"Jake, when have you ever not been hungry?"

The russet wolf cocked his head to one side, tongue hanging out the side of his massive mouth.

"Well, there was that one time on our honeymoon."

The mahogany wolf barked and chuffed.

"Jacob Black! The only time your weren't hungry on our honeymoon was when we were mak...Oh, okay, never mind!"

Jacob's wolf nudged the other in the ribs and gave her a sloppy, wet lick on the side of her muzzle.

"Oh! You are so lucky we are in the Spirit plane! Wait till I get you home!"

"That's what I'm waiting for Bells. For you to get me home. Come on! Let's go, honey!"

The mahogany wolf once again glanced around in an arc, sniffing and 'feeling' for the right direction. A voice in her head said,**_ "This is your path young ones."_**  
She looked at the russet wolf in surprise. That was not her mate's voice.

"Taha Aki?"

The russet wolf heard the next words along with his mate.

**_"Yes, my child. I am here with you. You have both pleased me greatly. You have both been very brave. You are both good and true warriors. I am_**  
**_ very proud of you and I will bless your union with prosperity and many fine, strong cubs. But it is time for both of you to return to your earthly home._**  
**_ You will see the way before you. Your hearts will lead you home, together."_**

The two wolves lowered their heads in reverence to the Great Spirit. When they lifted their eyes and looked at each other, the warmth and love bloomed  
anew, brighter and more fiercely than ever before. Their hearts swelled with happiness and they nuzzled together for a long moment. They felt a shift in  
the air around them and when they looked up they stood in the clearing before their cottage. The lights were on inside and a curl of smoke rose from the  
chimney. Slowly they began walking toward the house.

Embry was getting antsy and it was bleeding over on Katherine. They were both pacing the front room of Bella and Jacob's cottage waiting for something,  
anything to happen. Leah and Daniel were resting in a spare bedroom and Charlie and Billy were in the lifeguard stand. Sue was in the kitchen with Emily,  
still, organizing the evening meal. The sun was on its way down on the third day since the fight with the Volturi. To start with, Embry had been pacing by  
himself, but the imprint cast his feelings of worry and uneasiness onto Katherine until she had to join him. Finally, he jerked open the front door and grabbed  
Katherine's hand.

"Let's get out of here for a minute. I need some air."

Katherine nodded her agreement for the change of scenery and followed him onto the porch. Embry had started down the steps when he realized  
Katherine had frozen like a statue on the top step. He looked back to see the stunned expression on her face. He turned his eyes to the tree line,  
following the line of her gaze.

"Oh, my God."

"Thank God, you see them too."

Two wolves were approaching the house from the far edge of the clearing. One was russet, one mahogany, both at least twice the size of any of  
the Pack. As they got closer, Embry could see that both of them were grinning at them. Yes, wolves can grin, sometimes.

As if a fire had been lit under them, Katherine and Embry flew back into the cottage and up the stairs, bursting into Bella and Jacob's room,  
scaring Charlie completely off of the loveseat onto the floor.

"What the hell, Embry! Have you two lost your mind?"

Neither Embry nor Katherine made any effort to respond to Charlie. They moved straight to the bedside where Embry hit his knees next to  
his Alpha and Katherine crawled up the middle of the mattress kneeling next to Bella. Embry placed a firm grip on Jacob's shoulder, while  
Katherine reached for Bella's hand, clasping it tightly within her own. After only a very few seconds, at the exact same moment, the two  
young lovers each sucked in a huge gulp of air. Their eyes flew open and they lurched toward each other, arms grasping, legs tangling.  
Embry and Katherine were dragged into the embrace with them by virtue of their strong hold on the pair.

"Embry! Dude! Get off me, man! Katherine! What are you guys doing? Are y'all tryin' to get kinky with us now? Bells, help me!"

"Help you? I've got somebody else's female imprint sitting on my butt, just what would you propose I do, Jake?"

"Jake! Bella! You're back! You're alright! Man, we thought...! Do you guys know how long you've been out? You scared the shit out of all  
of us, guys! Geezis, don't do that again!"

At that moment, the room erupted in a crowd of people. Paul, Quil, Jared and Sam had been patrolling close by and Paul had seen the two  
Spirit wolves in the clearing. He thought he was losing his mind until Quil and the others let him know they had seen them too, through the  
Pack mind link. They sent up the call in howls and sped toward the cottage as rapidly as possible. Leah and Daniel had been awakened by  
the commotion and Emily and Sue had chased Embry and Katherine up the stairs the second they burst in the door from the porch. The  
convergence on Bella and Jacob was simultaneous and overwhelming.

Charlie and Billy were wiping tears, from relief and laughter and joy. Everyone was, well, almost. Wolves don't actually shed tears, ya know.  
Just ask them.

The Alpha and his mate had returned to the land of the living. There was much to tell, in both directions. They needed to discuss Bella and  
Katherine's miraculous rescue. Jacob's fight in the cargo hold. Jacob's savior, Clive. Carlisle and Esme's assistance, their contribution had  
been invaluable. The trip home and the vigil that everyone had been keeping.

Jacob and Bella had a story to tell that was miraculous in its own right. The rest of the company sat around the den fascinated as the couple  
lounged in front of the fireplace telling of their journey in their Spirit Wolf forms. The laughter resounded as they told of their visit to Kansas  
and the wheat field. The awed silence fell heavy as they told of their visit from Taha Aki and his words to them. When Embry and Katherine  
told them of seeing their Spirits approaching the house, and Paul confirmed his sighting, Bella and Jacob were too amazed to respond. They  
had seen the house in the clearing but did not realize their approach had been witnessed.

Jacob was anxious to meet Mr. Pitt to properly thank him for saving his life. Carlisle was called and plans were made for him to return to examine  
each of them again, one last time, tomorrow. Charlie and Billy were returning to the little red cabin for some R and R and R. Leah and Daniel  
and Sue were headed to the Clearwater's home and Sam came by to pick up Emily. Embry and Katherine would stay with Jacob and Bella for  
one more night to make sure they were okay and to be there if they needed anything. This was against Bella's wishes, though she gave up  
pretty fast at Katherine's insistence. Jake gave both Embry and Kate a grateful hug. There was much more to discuss, more tales to tell. But,  
also, there was much love to be shared, and a future to plan, for each of them.


	31. Chapter 31

A/N: Please forgive the posting delay, if you can. I love you all. Herewith, Chap. 31. mama

By His Side

Chapter Thirty One

Six months later:

Jacob and Bella were sound asleep. It was a peaceful, early Saturday morning...late Spring  
in La Push, Washington. Mr. and Mrs. Black had had a late night. There was the celebration,  
the bonfire, the party, the toasting, the dancing (!). It was an anniversary, of sorts. It had  
been one year exactly since Jacob had imprinted on Bella. They each considered it nothing  
short of a miracle. At first, Jacob had thought of imprinting, along with most of his packmates,  
as a curse from the spirits. How could anything this abominable yield anything good, anything  
but heartache and grief. At first, that was how it seemed it would turn out. No small number  
of people had seen the shredded lives of Sam, Leah, and Emily. There was no way this could  
be thought of as a gift.

Things began to change. Soon after the Cullens first abandoned Bella and Jake stepped in to  
put her heart and soul back together, the look and attitude of the Pack began to evolve. The  
most volatile wolf of the group, Paul Lahote, imprinted on Jacob's sister, Rachel Black. Rachel  
was a strong, fiery pistol of a girl who stood toe to toe with Paul. She smoothed off his rough  
edges. She gave him solid boundaries that allowed him to spread out, fling himself into life and  
his duty, without flying completely off into oblivion. Could it be that imprinting wasn't about  
cubs after all?

More changes tsunamied over the Pack, the Tribe and the Reservation. Bella and Jacob became  
a respected Alpha couple who contributed vastly to improving life in La Push. There was a boon  
that fell on them completely unexpectedly, that they put to the best use possible. This morning,  
when most of the Pack, the Blacks included, were sleeping in, or sleeping it off, as the case may  
be, the phone began an insistent ringing that eventually even Jacob couldn't ignore. After  
inadvertently clearing the top of the bedside table, Jacob was finally able to hang half of his body  
off the edge of the bed to reach the phone where it had landed, still ringing. They really needed  
to get an answering machine!

_"HELLO! WHAT?"_

_"Jacob? Is that you? Son, are you okay?"_

_"Dad? Yeah, I'm fine, I was just asleep. What's wrong?"_

_"Nothing's wrong, son. Still asleep, huh? You and the missus have a nice time last night?"_

_"Yes, Dad, we did. A real nice time. Why are you calling so early?"_

_"Early? It's nearly 10, boy, were you planning to skip today entirely?"_

_"Ten?" _He groaned and plopped his head back into the pillow_. "That explains the way I feel. We hit_  
_ the sack around 6 this morning. Call back later, okay, Dad? Bells and I need more recovery time."_

_"I would be glad to do that, Jake, but I think if you can wake up your ears enough to listen to me_  
_ for five minutes, you might want to get Bella to go start some coffee, instead."_

Jacob rolled toward the sleeping form beside him and nuzzled his face into the hair of his beautiful  
wife. He moaned when his body told him that it wasn't ready to try to function on two hours of sleep  
after the festivities of last night. Just because they hit the sack at 6, didn't mean they went straight  
to sleep. After all, they were young and in love and isn't that enough?

_"Okay, Dad. Five minutes. I'm listening."_

Billy was enjoying this. He had news that could turn into something wonderful and he didn't mind  
torturing his boy just to build up the tension a bit.

_"Good, son. Now, pay attention. Charlie called. He's on his way over here with a package he received_  
_ express this morning. It was addressed to him AND Bella, so he went ahead and opened it. It was a_  
_ stack of legal documents from a fella named Jenks in Seattle. Seems he's the Cullen's family attorney. _  
_Now, listen up boy, this is where it gets good."_

The moment Billy had uttered the name 'Cullen', Jacob bolted upright in the bed. He grabbed his  
head with his free hand and then reached over to give Bella an affectionate, but solid, shake. Her  
eyes popped open and then narrowed at him, the standard 'Bells' stink eye' look, which translated  
as 'you are in so much trouble buster'. But Jacob leaned down, pressed his warm lips to her mouth  
firmly for several seconds, (that always worked!) and then pressed the button to put the call on  
speaker. Bella propped herself up on her elbows and lay her head on Jacob's shoulder to listen in.

_"I don't know if I got all the details right yet, but, here goes: Edward and Alice Cullen both had really_  
_ large, I mean HUGE estates. They also both had wills. If I heard right, the whole shooting match has_  
_ been left to Bella with the stipulation that she accept the funds under any conditions set forth in the _  
_wills. They say that no matter HOW either Edward or Alice met their ends, Bella must agree to accept_  
_ the money. She can have the estates like they are, property, stocks and stuff, or they can be liquidated_  
_ for cash immediately. She just has to overlook whatever end befell the both of them. Apparently, that_  
_ includes, death by Pack. All Bella has to do is choose which she wants, cash or the other stuff, and agree_  
_ that she won't try to contest the wills based on some moral obligation she feels she has. Charlie is_  
_ bringing everything with him. He says there is one single piece of paper for Bella's signature and it's_  
_ a done deal."_

Whose mouth was dropped open wider? Bella's? Jacob's? Hard to say, that. But their eyes were locked  
on each other and both their minds were on overdrive. The list of questions was endless.

_"Son? You there, Jake?"_

_"Uh,...yeah, yeah, Dad,...we're still here. Got you on speaker. Bells is here too, and, um...she's awake now."_

_"Billy, what in the world...?"_

_"Guess you'll just have to come over here as soon as you can get that boy coffeed up and movin', honey._  
_ Charlie says he called Carlisle and if it's okay, he'll come answer any questions we have. I guess you kids_  
_ need to rise and shine. I think I hear Charlie's cruiser now. So get a move on, young'uns."_

The line went silent, clicked, then shrilled out a dial tone. Jacob mashed the button and let his hand  
fall down past the edge of the bed where his grip on the handset gave up. Neither of them could speak.  
They stared at each other for another minute. They say great minds think alike and the million and one  
thoughts that were crashing around in Bella and Jacob's were running decidedly along similar lines.

Their thoughts went something like this:

_"They really did this? They must have loved you a lot, Bells. They must have known something about how_  
_ they would die. Maybe Alice saw something. Did Alice know that Edward's sanity was slipping early on? Did_  
_ she think she might suffer the same fate? Is this their way of atoning for the craziness they put on both _  
_of us and the Tribe, too? The Tribe! This could really help a lot of people around here. Do you suppose it's_  
_ enough to add some classrooms to the Tribal school? Wouldn't that be wonderful? We better get over_  
_ there, right now!"_

The La Push Wolfpack's Alpha couple fell over each other trying to untangle themselves from the sheets  
and each other, and get upright and mobile. They jumped into the shower together, but made quick work  
of cleaning up this time. Later, they promised each other. Bella dressed quickly as Jacob threw on only  
cut-offs, and hurried down to make some coffee. Jeans and a long sleeved tee would do for Bella. The  
quickest way to Billy's cabin, wolfback. They gulped a few swallows of coffee, Jacob tossed Bella her  
hoodie and they ran to the edge of the woods hand in hand, excitement bubbling over in them. Jacob  
slipped off his shorts, Bella stuffed them in her kanga pocket and gave a soft whistle and 'umm hmm'  
at her man just before he burst into his wolf form, dropping to his belly so she could climb on. She  
settled between his shoulder blades and laid over onto his neck ruff, firmly gripping two handfuls of fur.  
They were behind Billy's place in two minutes. Yeah, wolves, the Porsches of the animal kingdom.

Sprinting to the back door of the little cabin, Bella and Jacob tried to calm their faces into some  
semblance of responsible adults ready to take care of some official and important business. They  
were about to burst into fits of giggles and hoots at the possibilities that had been forming in their  
heads for the last 30 minutes.

"Dad! Charlie! We're here!"

"Good, good, come on in, son, we're in the kitchen!"

The kitchen table was coated with sheets of heavy stock white paper. They were separated into multiple  
stacks and there was a cover letter and another single sheet lying side by side in front of the piles.  
Charlie's moustache was twitching over his coffee cup, his brown eyes twinkling. Billy had tremors in  
his cheeks in his attempts to not break out in a Black family-style grin. This was serious business,  
after all, and he wanted to maintain a modicum of decorum, as would befit the Chief of his Tribe.

He was about to explode!

"Dad?' Bella met her father's expectant gaze with her shocked and questioning one.

"Mornin' Bells. Sleep well?"

And Jacob lost it.

So did Billy.

So did Charlie.

"DAD! What's going on? Stop this nonsense! Talk to us. Jacob!"

It was a minute or two before any of the men could draw a proper breath, much less speak.

"Here's the contents of the express package, Bells. Read this letter. It's from this fella, Jenks. I guess  
he's the Cullen's family lawyer."

Bella took the heavy sheet from her father's grasp with trembling fingers. Her eyes widened ever further  
as she scanned the single-page missive, Jacob reading over her shoulder, his arm securely around her waist.

_"Dear Mrs. Black,_

_This package has been addressed to both you and your father in hopes of finding you quickly. An updated _  
_home address was unavailable at the time of execution of the wills of Edward Cullen and Alice Cullen._

_There are many pages of legal documents enclosed, but I hope this letter will explain efficiently and in _  
_layman's terms, the intentions and stipulations of the bequests._

_The two Cullen siblings each left considerable estates consisting of property, stock funds, etc. You have _  
_been named as the sole beneficiary of both groups of assets. You are named in each will as _  
_Isabella Marie Swan and any name that may have been taken in marriage. Carlisle Cullen informed_  
_ me that your married name is Black and all paperwork has been adjusted to reflect this fact._

_The wills are fairly straightforward, Mrs. Black. You may choose to accept the estates as they are,_  
_ property and what-not, receiving income from them in perpetuity, or you may so direct, and my office_  
_ will assume responsibility immediately, the liquidation of both estates at top market dollar, and deposit_  
_ of the full amount in an account of your choosing. The only condition is that you not protest your status_  
_ as deserving the bequest. As the Cullens stated in their individual codicils, "it doesn't matter how death_  
_ occurred, even if at the "hands" of others, Miss Swan is to have the benefit of financial accounts, to be_  
_ used at her discretion, providing she asks no questions nor requires any justification."_

_My office will be available to answer any procedural or technical questions that you may have. At the_  
_ instruction of my clients, I am personally available to discuss this matter with you at any time. Although_  
_ I recommend that you refrain from asking any specific questions regarding your presumed deservedness._

_Please peruse the enclosed documents at your leisure. You are welcome to have them scanned by an_  
_ attorney representing yourself, but be aware that no changes can be made or, for that matter, requested._  
_ You may choose the dispersal method you prefer and returned the signed identification document in the_  
_ enclosed envelope. There is no time limit on these actions._

_My personal cell number and email address are listed below. Please feel free to contact me at any time, 24/7._

_Yours very truly,_

_J. Jenks_

The silence was deafening. If Jacob had not had a firm grip on Bella, it is certain that her jellied knees  
would have collapsed sooner rather than later. While the pair was still reeling from the bombshell they'd  
been presented, Charlie reached over to another single sheet of paper. This was another letter from Mr.  
Jenks, addressed to Charlie and another party, Jacob Ephraim Black. Chief Swan pushed the page into  
Jacob's unresisting hands.

_To: Chief Charles Swan and Mr. Jacob Ephraim Black_

_Dear Sirs,_

_The wills of Edward and Alice Cullen also named the both of you as ancillary beneficiaries. This basically _  
_means that each of you will receive a specified amount as a one-time bequest. Enclosed are letters for_  
_ each of you to sign and return as identification and acceptance of these bequests. The conditions of_  
_ blanket acceptance apply just as in Mrs. Black's bequest._

_The amount of each bequest is a flat amount from each estate, to each of you. The total comes to_  
_ $3,000,000.00 for each of you. Please sign and return the acceptance letters at your leisure._

_Yours very truly,_

_J. Jenks_

At this point, Jacob and Bella both had to sit, quickly. Jacob yanked out a kitchen chair and fell into  
it with a gasp, pulling Bella tightly into his lap.

"Bells?"

"Jake?"


	32. Chapter 32

A/N: As always, I do NOT own Twilight or any characters or plots therefrom. All that belongs to Stephenie Meyer. Plot deviations and additional original characters are ALL MINE, as is Jacob Black. (Not really. Damn!) Thank you for reading and reviewing. Thank you to my Beta, Murfy.

By His Side

Chapter Thirty Two

"Okay, Clive, hold it right there for a minute!"

"Okay, Jacob, I've got it. Let me know when you've got it centered."

"Just a bit more to the left, that's it, there it comes, okay! It's seated! Tie it  
off and we'll get started on ratcheting it down."

Jacob and Clive were almost finished mounting the wind sock out front of the home office of  
BlackPack Air Service. The new aircraft, paid for by Clive's ample insurance policy on his previous  
plane, was beautiful in his eyes. It was brand new and state-of-the-art as bush/seaplanes could go.  
It was big enough to transport hunters or hikers to their chosen base camp location, deliver rescued  
hunters or hikers to medical facilities, or simply deliver supplies and mail to remote Northern locations  
in Western Washington, Canada and Alaska. Clive was in heaven. He had found a home and he was  
prepared to put down serious roots with his newfound family in La Push.

Jacob, in his limitless gratitude for his life salvation, offered Clive a partnership that would develop the  
transportation capacity in the whole region. This was something that had been sorely lacking, Jacob felt,  
and as future Chief, and new millionaire, he realized he could do something beneficial to the Tribe and  
surrounding area residents. BlackPack Air Service was Jacob's way of giving to his Tribe and community,  
and was simply a dream come true for Clive Pitt.

As a Viet Nam war veteran, Clive had hopes, dreams and demons to contend with in his life. Clive knew,  
with any luck at all, the first two would choke out the third, if only he could give them some sustenance  
upon which they could grow and become strong realities. Clive flew choppers in Nam. He had seen horrors  
no human should have to witness. He had survived and made himself a promise. He would always do his  
best for his fellow human and, if he was granted the opportunity, he would treat himself to the freedom  
that flying gave him. If he was able to do this, and make a living at the same time, then he would surely  
feel blessed by the gods.

When he saw Jacob Black's lifeless body floating in front of him in his sinking aircraft, there was no question  
or second thought what to do. He didn't even know if Jacob was still alive, but that wasn't the most important  
point. The most important point to Clive was this...the 'people' in the cockpit were NOT human, decidedly so.

Jacob was.

That's all he needed to know. Clive's perception of what was 'human' and what was precious and sacred 'humanity'  
might have been a tad skewed, but in that moment of chaos, Jacob filled the requisite human attributes.

As Jacob and Clive became better acquainted through the development of BlackPack, Jacob began to sense  
that perhaps something was 'different' about Clive, though he could not quite put his finger on it. With a  
complete understanding of all of his resources, he scheduled an audience with Katherine Whitehorse. As  
her brother, Daniel had explained early on, Katherine had the ability to sense supernatural beings, any  
kind, not just shape shifters. This was the expertise of which Jacob was in need.

"Kate, have you been around Clive enough to tell if...there might be something...unique, about him?"

"What exactly did you have in mind, Jacob?"

"I'm not sure. I have a gut feeling about him, but I'd like some more information before I approach him  
with what might otherwise be an impertinent question."

"I get it, Jake. I understand what you're looking for. I haven't paid any particular attention to him in that  
area, but I think your gut feeling is probably correct. He has an aura about him that connects to my senses  
somehow. Just come out and ask him, Jacob. He strikes me as the type of man who would appreciate that approach."

So that's exactly what Jacob did. He invited Clive to his home to have dinner with him and Bella, ostensibly to  
thank him for saving the Alpha's life. After a sumptuous feast served by his mate, Jacob began to ply Mr. Pitt  
with after-dinner alcohol and lively conversation. When Jacob had served Clive his third brandy, shared but, of  
course, having little or no effect on the wolf-man, he took the opportunity to begin to question his guest more deeply.

"So, Clive, tell me about yourself. Where are you from, originally?"

"Oh, originally from New York. My family landed in upstate, east of Albany a bit. My ancestors were  
Scandinavian, from Norway and Sweden."

Jacob chatted a bit more about Clive's personal geography, drawing him out little by little. After the bottle of  
brandy was polished off, he pulled out all the stops,...and hit paydirt.

"Clive, now that you know about the nature of the Cullens and the basic biology of the Pack, I really need to  
ask you a question about yourself, if you don't mind me getting a little personal?"

"No, go right ahead, Jake. Ask away."

"Okay, here goes nothing. Clive, I have a suspicion in the back of my mind that you understand a lot more  
about the supernatural world than you've let on to us. I'm afraid I need to insist that you tell me the truth  
about what you are."

If it hadn't been for the fine meal and the brandy, Clive Pitt would have instantly denied any knowledge or  
connection implied by Jacob Black. But at that moment, Clive decided that he wanted to spend the rest of  
his days here in La Push, with the good and honorable people he had met and come to know. They had  
accepted him without any question, until now. He could think of no valid reason not to come clean with  
them and ask for the invitation he desired, to join with them, to become one of them. He could see a  
future for himself here. He could see a place, and a people, worthy of his loyalty and dedication.

"Jacob, you are a very perceptive young man. Impressive. I must say. All right, here it is. I hope you understand  
why I kept quiet in the beginning."

Jacob nodded his understanding and gave Mr. Pitt his full and focused attention.

"My ancestors in Europe began to Spirit-walk many hundreds of years ago. As time moved onward, the family  
branched into many different practices. I'm a little ashamed to admit to distant cousins who dabbled in black  
magic and demonic occult samplings. The patriarch who was my sixth great-grandfather, eventually zeroed in  
on shape-shifting. That specific bloodline leads directly to me and my descendants."

"You're a shape-shifter?"

"Yes, I am. Please forgive me, Jacob, for not being forthcoming about this. I had to be sure that I wouldn't just  
be passing through. I needed to learn that I would be putting down roots here with your people before I owned  
up to my heritage."

"I understand, Clive. Are you a wolf?"

"No, not a wolf."

"What then?"

"A panther."

"Really? Amazing!"

"But not exclusive."

"What do you mean, Clive?"

"I am a panther. But others in my line are different creatures."

"Such as?"

"My granddaughter is a hawk."

"I think maybe I should call for some reinforcements. Do you mind if I invite some other Pack members to join us?"

"Not at all, Jake. The more the merrier, I always say."

Jacob stood to move to the kitchen to make some phone calls. Bella met him at the doorway with the phone  
already ringing Embry's number.

"Yeah? Hey Alpha!"

"Embry! Are you and Katherine free right now?"

"Sure, bossman! What's up?"

"Why don't both of you head on over here to our place. I think I've got some information that will  
intrigue and excite you, especially Katherine."

"Hmmm, sounds interesting to be sure. Be there, shortly. Katherine! Get dressed honey. We're going visitin'."

Jacob made several more calls, particularly to his father and Old Quil, two men he was certain would be  
interested in their new friend's background and revelations. Before long, a steady stream of visitors began  
to flow through Bella and Jake's front door. Soon, the living room was filled to capacity. Billy was growing  
too curious to stand it.

"What's this all about, son?"

Jacob stood up and addressed the informal and unofficial Pack/Council meeting.

"I know everyone here has had the chance to meet Mr. Pitt. And everyone knows the deep debt that I  
owe him. I will never be able to thank Clive enough for what he did that day at the lake. Be that as it may,  
Clive has come to a decision about his future, as most of you know. BlackPack Air Service will be up,  
running, and open for business by the end of the week. What we need to share with all of you now,  
however, has nothing to do with BlackPack. Clive Pitt, our new friend and welcome addition to our  
family, is a shape-shifter like the Pack."

At first, there was silence. Then the noise rose to amazing levels. The shock, surprise, elation piled  
high upon itself. When the decibels dropped back to a manageable conversational point, Embry asked  
the million-dollar question.

"Are you a wolf, Clive?"

Clive and Jacob looked at each other conspiratorially and grinned at the assembled group. Clive bowed  
and waved the honor of announcement to Jacob.

"He's a panther."

More noise, much discussion.

"Other members of his family are other animals."

"What?!"

"His granddaughter's a hawk."

Bella and Katherine had been circulating around serving refreshments. Now, however, they were totally  
focused on Clive. He was cornered.

"Can you invite her here to visit? We want to meet her! What's her name? Where does she live? Do you  
think she would be interested in meeting us? Can we call her and talk? We've got tons of questions!"

Clive laughed heartily at the barrage from the two girls.

"Of course, we can call her! Her name's Marguerite and she lives in Michigan. She's a CPA turned author,  
which means her time is her own and she can and does travel all over, any time she wants. She's published  
several books. I'm really proud of her and I'd love to see her again and introduce her to all of my new family  
here. It's been too long since we've gotten together anyway. I'll call her tonight."

So, the call was made, the invitation was extended, the date was set. Marguerite Pitt-Fleming would be  
arriving at Forks Municipal Airport within the week. It would be an auspicious occasion in more ways than one.


	33. Chapter 33

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Twilight. If wishes were horses...

By His Side

Chapter Thirty Three

Two days after the impromptu gathering of Pack and Council at Jake and Bella's home, the  
situation that presented itself in La Push gave nearly all that had been present the opportunity  
to see firsthand how much of an asset Clive would be.

The weather was becoming crisp, the forest, colorful. The general mood within the Pack was  
comfortable and free. There had been no vampire activity in many months and perhaps it could  
be said that they were becoming complacent. They were certainly, at the very least, distracted.

Life was good.

Embry and Katherine, Daniel and Leah, had put their heads together and planned a double wedding  
for Christmastime. Because all four of them had grown up in the Pacific Northwest, the possibility  
of a snow-covered forest had struck them as the perfect backdrop for their nuptials. It would be  
kept relatively simple, but Leah and Katherine were having trouble reining in Bella and Emily and Kim.

The week was slow and quiet, only the preparations for Margeurite's visit occupying Clive and the  
Pack. Jacob, Embry, Paul and Clive were busy at Second Beach, readying the bonfire site for her  
welcome party. It was mid-afternoon and the men were working steadily, relishing the early fall  
atmosphere.

A sound that had not been heard in quite some time froze all of them to the spot. An alarm howl  
went up from deep in the wilderness. Daniel and Seth were strolling through a routine patrol of the  
western perimeter when they crossed the trail. The stench of vampire had become such a rarity  
and, combined with the strength of numbers of the group they'd found, the two wolves nearly  
staggered to their knees.

_"Holy Mother of...! Daniel! Get back over here with me! Others will be here soon. There's too_  
_ many for us to track and attack by ourselves!"_

_"On my way, Seth! I've got four,...no...five different scents?"_

_"I think that's what I'm getting. We'll hold our position in the middle of this clearing. Maybe we_  
_ can draw them to us and keep them on this side of the Rez as far away from the population as possible."_

The Pack Mind burst into activity with three other voices. Paul, Embry and Jacob were charging hard  
from the beach toward Daniel and Seth's location. They were so intent on their haste and their objective,  
they failed to notice that Clive had stripped off his clothing and shoes at the forest edge right behind  
them.

Moments later, a huge black blur rocketed past them.

_"What the fuck was that, Jake?"_

_"Can't tell you, Paul. It went by too fast for me to see. But it wasn't a leech, it wasn't white."_

_"I don't believe it!"_

_"What, Embry? Did you get a look at it?"_

_"Not as clear as we'd like, Jake. But I did see the last two feet of a thick, furry and shiny black tail."_

_"Jake! Daniel and I are back to back in the western clearing. We are surrounded, they're here. Five_  
_ leeches, scruffy and dirty, looks like a pack of nomads."_

_"We're just the other side of the ridge, Seth! Just intimidate them into staying put for another 30 seconds bro."_

Seth didn't respond at once and his Alpha felt a chill of terror run through him.

**_"Seth! Answer me!"_**

Seth's response was broken up by laughter. Seconds later, Jacob, Embry and Paul understood why.

_"I don't think getting them to stay put is going to be an issue, Jake!"_

When the Alpha and his wingmen broke through the trees, the scene before them caused all three to dig  
in their nails and skid to a halt. Daniel and Seth had moved off to the side of the clearing and were watching  
the five nomad vampires standing like statues scattered across the space. A black panther, roughly matching  
Jacob in size, sat on his haunches in front of them, casually licking one front paw and waving his tail slowly  
and easily back and forth behind him. He seemed hardly aware of the bloodsuckers in front of him at all,  
intent on his grooming and relaxation ritual.

Jacob was stunned._ "What in the Wide World of Sports is going on here!?"_

Seth was too consumed with his snickering so Daniel stepped forward with a description.

_"Jake, welcome to the wax museum! The leeches were advancing toward us when this great, big kitty_  
_ cat streaked into the clearing. He let out one of those ROWRRR! screams that big cats make, and each _  
_vamp froze in its tracks. I think they're still operational, they just can't move."_

Jacob approached one of the nomads and phased to human. Indeed, the vampire was still functioning, sort of.  
His deep, crimson eyes were wild with fear and rotating crazily until they locked, terrified, on Jacob's advancing  
nudity.

"What's wrong with you lot? What happened to you? And what the fuck are you doing here?"

The creature stammered for a bit, seeming to have trouble moving his mouth and jaw.

"W – w – we are just traveling in search of f -food. We're p – pretty thirsty and we th – th – thought we'd  
try Seattle. We're j – just p – passing through, really!"

"Why are you just standing there like that?"

"Don't you know? Aren't y –you the one that sent him? We never d – dreamed we'd s – see one of those around here!"

"What the fuck are you babbling about leech? Who do you think I sent?"

"You s – seem to be the leader and we j – just f – figured you were the one th – that sent your enforcer.  
We – we've never seen one of the Jungle Troops this far north. We hoped we were done with them when  
we left South America. Their scream paralyzes us."

Now, all of the wolves in the clearing were chuffing with grins on their snouts. Jacob slowly turned to face  
the big cat who was still working on getting his left front paw just so.

"Clive?"

The huge, black beast slowly stood and considered Jacob with amusement showing in his big green eyes.  
He lowered himself slightly on his front legs and nodded his head toward the stupefied Alpha. He crouched  
over and, in slow-motion, coalesced into the silver-haired pilot who was Jacob's new business partner.

"Looks like maybe we can't 'talk' in the Pack Mind but maybe I can be handy to have around for something  
other than just delivering the mail, huh podnah?"

Jacob could not speak at first. Clive continued, taking pity on his stunned young friend.

"I'm not built quite like you wolf-boys. I don't have the jaw capacity to tear vampires  
into little pieces. But I don't really need it. I'm faster than a vamp by about three times and my roar,  
or scream as that one there called it, freezes them where they stand. After that, I can do with them as I  
see fit, or in this case, as you see fit Mr. Alpha."

"Why the hell hadn't you told us this before, Clive?"

"Hadn't had the opportunity or occasion. Haven't seen one of this sonsabitches since I've been here. I just  
didn't find a place to stick it into the conversation."

Paul and Embry phased back and were leaned over, hands on their thighs, gasping for breath in their laughter.

"Clive don't pull any punches, does he Jake? I think maybe we've been had!"

"Stuff it, Paul. This isn't that funny."

"Oh yes, it is!"

Embry found his voice, barely.

"Clive, I think maybe if our Alpha is honest with himself, he'll eventually tell you what we're all thinking  
at this point. Play straight with us, we'll play straight with you, and you're hired!"

The older gentleman chuckled to himself, then cocked his head to look at Jacob.

"Well, you know me well enough by now boys, I call a spade a fuckin' shovel and what you see is what you  
get. I've already decided to stay around these parts so I guess piloting a bush plane and moonlighting as a  
vampire sculptor wouldn't be a bad gig at all. Is that hunky dory with you, Mr. Black?"

Jacob hardly knew how to respond. He kept thinking how he wished Clive had been around for the past two  
years. He extended his hand and grasped the other's hand firmly and warmly.

"Mr. Pitt, I can't tell you how pleased I am to welcome you to the Quileute Reservation and may I extend to  
you an invitation to stay indefinitely?"

The two men smiled broadly at each other and sealed the deal. Paul spoke up to move the matter at hand  
forward.

"What do ya want us to do with these sparkly fuckers, Jake?"

The Alpha scanned his eyes along the group of intruders. At his signal, everyone phased back into their  
respective protector shapes.

_"Question them. Try to find out where they came from, and why the hell they decided to come through _  
_here specifically. Learn as much as you can. Then take 'em apart, and light 'em up."_

The russet wolf caught the attention of the big, black cat and beckoned him to follow. They had much to  
discuss these two.


	34. Chapter 34

A/N: I do not own anything Twilight. Stephenie Meyer has all the rights to that.  
I do own this plot deviation and the original characters, Daniel, Katherine,  
Clive and Marguerite. Thanks to everyone who reads and reviews. You warm my  
cockles with your support. (And NOBODY likes cold cockles!)  
Thanks and love to my Beta, Murfy.

By His Side

Thirty Four

Today was the day. This Friday was special for so many reasons. Jacob and Bella both sat at  
their kitchen table. This may not seem special, but it definitely was. They each faced a laptop  
computer. They were seemingly ignoring each other, but that couldn't have been further from  
the truth. The screen upon which Bella gazed was signed into the La Push High School graduation  
roster. The laptop in front of Jacob was displaying the final grades for second year pre-law students  
at Peninsula Community College. The silence was deafening. You could slice the atmosphere of  
anticipation with a knife, if it was extremely sharp. Or perhaps you could cut through it with  
several well-placed wolf's fangs.

The young Alpha couple sat on opposite sides of the table from one another, their computers back  
to back as they each hid behind the screens. An outside observer might think they were totally  
unaware of each other's presence, that is until they backed off in their perspective to see that  
the pair's hands were clasped tightly on each side of the electronic fortune-telling machines.  
They were holding hands, not typing. They had neither one touched a mouse for about half an  
hour. Every once in a while, their fingers would tangle, then release, then grasp again, tightly,  
then part slightly and stroke palms or knuckles in a sensuous manual dance. Once or twice, the  
young man stretched up to gaze over the rim of the computer screen, while the young woman  
would tilt her head to peek around the side of her screen.

Finally, finally, there was a tiny beep. Both sets of hands grabbed snugly, but the couple remained  
firmly planted in their chairs. After an excruciating four and a half minutes, another tone rang out.  
The couple's eyes darted across their respective screens, absorbing all the information, to make  
certain the data was correctly interpreted and reported. Sixty-eight seconds later, Jacob and Bella  
each pulled down the laptop screens and pushed back their chairs from the table. They rose to their  
feet as one and rounded the table, meeting at the head. They embraced, squeezing each other tightly  
to convey the emotion as they exchanged their news.

"Jake, my wonderful husband, you have passed every course, and will be graduating, with highest  
honors, and scholarships, as your class Valedictorian, and I could not be prouder or you!"

Barely able to contain his excitement, Jacob fought to hold his voice steady.

"Bells, my beautiful lady, you have successfully completed your second year of pre-law coursework,  
at the top of your class, including a spot on the President's List and I am not in the least bit surprised."

Giggling like pre-schooler's, the pair danced a jig in a circle around the dining room and kitchen.

"We did it, Bells! We did it! Tell all the naysayers what my gorgeous, sexy lady has done, and what  
she helped me do, too! Aowhooo!"

"Tell the whole world what my brilliant, stunningly handsome wolfman has done!"

"I knew it, baby! I just knew it! There's no stopping us now!"

Bella pulled away from her beaming fella and reopened his laptop. She hit a few keys and waited  
for the data she sought to come up.

"What are you looking for now, Bells? We couldn't possibly need any more news today."

"Oh, ho! Think again, my studly muffin! Hmmm, let's see...here it is...YES! YES! Just as I suspected.  
Take a look at that there my Einsteinian mate!"

She spun the device around so Jacob could see the screen. There in brilliant color and bold lettering,  
was his acceptance notification to the online program for a mechanical engineering degree from UCLA.

Jacob could barely read the bottom half of the notice through the water swimming in his eyes, and for  
the first time in quite a while, he was speechless. Nearly bursting with pride, Bella threw her arms  
around his neck, leaping into his arms with gusto. She placed her lips close to his ear, giving it a soft  
kiss.

"I never had any doubts, whatsoever. You, MY Jacob, are going to be an engineer. And you will build the  
greatest buildings and bridges and machines that anyone has ever seen!"

"Easy, Honey! I might not be able to be quite that diversified, but I'll do my damndest for you, MY Bells,  
who by the way is going to be the hottest attorney this side of the Pecos! Oh man, tonight's bonfire is  
going to have to be a multi-tasker!"

"Oh shit! That reminds me! I promised Clive we'd go with him to the airport to pick up Marguerite! Come  
on, we've got 10 minutes to swing by and get him, we gotta go!"

They grabbed keys, jackets, etc and high-tailed it out the door. The trip to Clive's cabin was quick, he was  
ready and waiting and jumped in the back seat and they were off to Port Angeles with not a minute to spare.  
They had to share their good news with the newest member of the Pack. Clive had been named an honorary  
wolf. He graciously accepted saying that the only reason they were gonna let him play with the "doggies"  
was because he was a big-ass cat who could whup any one of 'em with only three paws. That was another  
celebration that went into the wee hours and caused more than a few bleary-eyed lumps arching over their  
coffee cups the next day.

Even though Clive Pitt was no longer a young man, today, he was as giddy as a schoolboy at the thought  
that his granddaughter would soon be walking off a plane and into his arms. She was his favorite grandchild,  
and the one that was the most like him. He had bounced her on his knee, sung her to sleep, fed her a bottle,  
changed her diaper, and most importantly, taught her to control her phase into and out of her hawk form.  
The only thing he had NOT had a hand in, was her ability to fly, which was innate and a staggeringly beautiful  
thing to watch. She could glide and soar and ride the thermals that danced off the mountains. It was no small  
thing, that a hawk with a 20 foot wingspan was also a rather majestic sight. Clive was a most proud grandpapa.  
He called her Mags. She called him Papi. The love between them was boundless. When she appeared through  
the doorway into the terminal, they locked eyes for the first time in 4 years. Marguerite's long auburn pony  
tail swung wildly as she ran into the arms of her grandfather, her sapphire eyes glistening with tears. Though  
she was a grown woman of 26, there was no shame when it came to her favorite relative in all the world.

"Papi! Oh, Papi! I've missed you so very much!"

"I've missed you, too, Mags. It's been way too long hasn't it, baby."

Jacob and Bella stood to the side a few paces as the family reunion caught the attention of quite a few onlookers  
in the terminal. Standing arm in arm and snuggled together, they were swept up in the affection radiating from  
the pair embracing in front of them. Family was an important thing, wasn't it?

When they were finally able to tear themselves apart, eyes were wiped and introductions were made.

"Mags, honey, I want you to meet the Alpha couple of our new home. This is Bella and this is Jacob, Mr. and Mrs. Black."

There was shock and surprise on all three of these faces. 'Our new home?' Yes, that's what he said. Well, well.

Jacob extended his hand, which Marguerite grasped in both of hers for a few moments. She searched his face in  
depth, meeting his steady gaze with one of her own before releasing him and wrapping Bella up in a warm and  
affectionate embrace.

"Papi has told me so much about both of you and I can't begin to tell you how thrilled I am to meet you. Thank  
you so much for taking in my beloved here. He's my support group and partner in crime all rolled into one. And  
I'm simply beside myself excited to be here in Washington. I've always wanted to visit this part of the country  
and never had the opportunity. I've been in a SeaTac terminal one time for an hour autographing copies of my  
first in a bookstore then I flew right back out. I didn't get to see anything! THAT will be rectified on this trip!"

She was beautiful, vivacious and bubbling over with personality that drew Bella and Jacob right into her orbit.  
It was obvious why she and Clive were crazy for each other. What a delightful pair!

"We are so glad you're finally here! Clive's been climbing the walls since you agreed to visit. We've had trouble  
holding him down now and then."

Jacob smiled broadly and poked a gentle elbow at the older man.

"Don't listen to him Little Magnet. He's just jealous of the 'music' I can make and his Pack is envious of the shiny,  
silky midnight pelt, doncha know!"

Bella clapped her hands in glee.

"'Little Magnet'!?"

Marguerite gave him a playful shove to the shoulder.

"He's always called me 'Mags' but he started that 'Magnet' nonsense when I was in college. He said I was  
attracting too many of the 'wrong' type of boys. He never did classify any of my boyfriends as the 'right' type.  
I still don't even know what that is!"

There was more ribbing and laughter as Jacob and Clive began to herd Bella and Marguerite toward the baggage  
claim area. The girls got into 'cooking' and 'books' quickly when Bella told Marguerite she had read her latest  
novel and Marguerite told Bella that Clive had been bragging on her muffins and pastries. They put their heads  
together, only coming up long enough for Marguerite to point out her luggage for Clive and Jacob to grab.

They made their way to the parking deck and piled into Bella's SUV. (The old pickup had a place of honor in  
the hangar at BlackPack Air.) A decision was made to grab a quick bite to eat before returning to La Push to  
get their guest settled in for a little break before tonight's welcome bonfire.

Clive's new digs had a master and a guest suite, so grandfather and granddaughter would be together for  
the duration, to aid in catching up, reconnecting. They were both looking forward to phasing together for  
the first time in four long years. They had been an operational team in years past. A reunion involved more  
than just a hug and a kiss. Jacob was intrigued at the prospect of a demonstration for the Pack.

"How did you two work together against vamps?"

"It was pretty simple, really. We were basically 'created' for lack of a better term to function as one unit,"  
Clive explained. "I had the easy task, I always thought. I spotted the bastards, froze 'em, and Mags snatched  
'em up and took off. Mags?"

"I would fly them as high as I was in the mood to take them, I had the easy part, then as soon as I spotted  
something nice and solid, a dry river-bed, baked desert floor, granite mountains,...well,...I just dropped them!  
They shatter better than Waterford crystal and make a much more entertaining noise."

Jacob's mouth hung open in astonishment.

"You didn't burn them?"

"Nah," Clive said, "didn't need to. When they are in that many pieces that are that tiny and scattered over that  
wide an area, well, you get the picture. Funniest fucking thing you ever saw! When they hit, if the sun's shinin'  
it looks like a fuckin' fireworks display!"

"PAPI! Language!"

Clive faked an abashed frown, his head ducked low.

"Yes, ma'am."

They laughed and climbed out of the vehicle and headed arm in arm toward Clive's cabin. Jacob and Bella promised  
to pick them up around dusk to head to the beach. The panther and hawk had gotten special permission from their  
new Alpha to phase together, alone, for the first time, with the promise to repeat the process with and for the Pack  
after the welcome celebration.

The weekend was shaping up to be filled to the brim with fun and excitement.


	35. Chapter 35

By His Side

Chapter Thirty Five

Imagine, if you will, a clearing in a deep, dark green forest. Blue sky and fluffy white clouds cap the scene straight overhead.  
The trees around the edge are old, tall. The area of the clearing is grassy with a few golden wildflowers and low shrubs.

From the edge of the trees walks a tall, silver-haired man. His twinkly blue eyes are happy and bright. His broad shoulders and  
strong body give the feeling of royalty, his bearing and aspect also reflecting a nobility of character. By his side, and tightly  
clasping his hand, walks a beautiful young woman. Her long legs and sculpted body make her the man's equal in stature. She  
has waist-length auburn hair and her eyes are the deepest ocean blue with thick, feathery lashes.

A concealed onlooker might wonder at the relationship these two share. The age difference is obvious and essentially precludes  
any romance. No, the looks that pass between the pair, and the posture they maintain, says family, likely patriarch and offspring.  
The generation between them is not necessarily evident, both are so physically imposing, the exact ages are hard to pin down.

An observer would then be astonished when the pair begins to disrobe. They demurely turn their backs on one another, though  
not truly necessary, they are, after all, alone here.

When they stand apart some distance, and their outlines begin to shimmer, the onlooker would have nothing but unanswered  
questions. The man's shape coalesces from human into feline and an extremely oversized black panther stands in his place  
stretching his legs one at a time, as if just waking from a nap in a sunbeam. In the spot where the young woman stood, there  
is now a huge bird of prey. Larger than any normal bird, it is a red-tailed hawk with its 20-foot wingspan extended to its widest  
spread. It, too, is stretching its muscles and tendons, warming up for the flight to come.

The two creatures come together in a greeting that speaks of nurture and respect, affection and honor. Not the textbook or cartoon  
picture typifying traditional animosity between cat and bird, these two animals are familiar. They seem to belong together. They  
place their heads close in a silent exchange as if they coordinate plans. The feline turns then and bounds toward the tree line, a  
black streaking blur, as the avian warrior spreads her wings upward and brings them down in a powerful sweep, launching herself  
into the atmosphere.

She strokes and pushes, gaining altitude, leveling off above the canopy. He dodges and weaves through the ancient green towers.  
They never lose sight of one another; never break the connection they share. The joy each experiences in the freedom of these  
forms is palpable in the air. Time slows down as they commune with the environment and each other, deepening their shared  
admiration and respect.

Five Hours Later

Bella and Jacob arrive at Clive's door and knock excitedly. Clive and Marguerite emerge hand in hand and the four set off on foot  
to the beach. Their new friends have never attended a Quileute/Wolfpack bonfire. The Alpha couple tries to explain what will be  
happening when it gets underway.

"It's really casual and friendly, so don't worry about blending in or anything. There'll be tons of food and lots of loud talking and  
general goofing around."

Bella gives Jacob a sideways glance and smiles ruefully.

"That goofing around part is what will be most noticeable. We have a couple of character/idiots in the Pack. But we love them all,  
and any one of them would lay down in front of a stampede for you. They're nuts, but they have hearts of gold."

"They sound like my kind of folks. Papi has told me you all welcomed him with open arms."

"Your granddad was a shoo-in. He took all the weirdness in stride and saved my life on the side."

"Oh, come on, Jake; will you lay off that life saver bit, please? Enough already!"

"Okay bud. I'll let it slide, for a while, anyway."

As they arrived at the edge of the beach, the sunset colors were beginning to grow over the ocean which, for once, was fairly calm.  
Introductions were begun and Marguerite and Clive were guided around to all the wolves present, the imprints and the Council and  
Elders. Chief Swan was also in attendance to help celebrate his daughter and son-in-law's recently achieved educational milestones.

"You'll meet Seth and Quil in a while, they're patrolling just now," Jacob added.

The food came first, Sue and Emily trying desperately to save some for the patrol party, with great difficulty. Then there was a so-called  
'social hour' when everyone just relaxed around the fire before the tales and legends would begin.

Marguerite rose from her spot and brushed the sand from her backside.

"Whoo, I ate enough for three, I think, I'm going to take a stroll and see if this will settle down a little."

"Don't go too far, sweetie, you don't want to miss story time," her grandfather called after her.

"I won't. Just look after my shoes will you? Don't want them to get buried and lost."

Half an hour later, things are beginning to calm down some. Seth and Quil have arrived and bitched and moaned that not enough supper  
has been salvaged for them. They are growing boys, after all. The group is working out their spots for the entertainment, moving chairs  
about and snuggling up with their chosen cuddle-pals. Bella looks around and sees that Marguerite is not back from her walk.

"Jake, Marguerite isn't here yet, we need to fetch her back."

Jacob starts to rise from his place behind her when Seth walks back from dumping his paper plate and cup in the trash.

"I'll go get her, Jake. Which way did she go?"

"She headed toward the tidal pools about 30 minutes ago. She probably hasn't gone far."

"Okie doke!" and he trots away.

A few minutes of jogging and Seth has spotted the woman he's seeking. She has her jeans legs rolled up and is wading in the edge  
of the cool Pacific waters. She holds one side of her hair behind her ear as she leans over looking for shells. Her reddish hair is aglow  
from the waning rays of the sun. Her figure is voluptuous, curvy and she appears to be quite tall.

"Marguerite!" Seth calls out to her from a distance rather than startling her with his silent approach.

She straightens and turns toward him, a smile playing about her lips. He is a stranger, but he knows her name? Hmm.

Seth's eyes have started at her bare feet, thinking how cute it is that she's wiggling her toes in the water. He has progressed up her long  
legs, pausing at her shapely thighs, hips and flat belly. He tries not to linger too long on her chest, though it is eye-catching. Her long,  
graceful neck leads him to a sweet, rosy smile, alabaster skin, and luscious auburn hair framing the bluest eyes he's ever seen. Those eyes.  
Oh God!

Seth finally halts his advance directly in front of Marguerite. He no longer smiles for his mouth has fallen open in a completely failed attempt  
to speak to her again. Marguerite fears he is unwell. He reaches both hands out to her, which she urgently grabs with her own because he is  
sinking to his knees at her feet. The shift in gravity and the tilt of the earth has made him dizzy. He's certain this goddess is speaking to him,  
but he cannot make out her words. She does not need to speak, though. She doesn't need to do anything but exist in his world for she is now  
the center of it.

"Hello? Oh, gosh! What's wrong? Can you hear me? What can I do? Are you sick? Are you hurt? What's your name? Speak to me!"

"You're beautiful."

"Okay, um, thank you. Are you alright?"

"I've never been better."

"Can you stand?"

"Yeah. Do you want me to stand?"

"It might be a good idea."

"Okay. You're tall. That's nice."

"Thank you. So are you. Tall's a good thing."

"Yes it is. I'm Seth."

"Hello, Seth. I'm Marguerite. My friends call me Maggie."

"Hi Maggie. Um, I'm supposed to bring you back to the bonfire. It's time for the stories."

"Oh, okay. Let's head back then."

The young man has yet to take his eyes off of her face and as they begin their trek back to the gathering, they are still holding hands. He  
holds on for fear that she will disappear as if in a dream. She holds on because she's not certain that he is steady enough to walk on his own.  
She's not sure what that was, but when their eyes met, she suddenly felt incredibly warm. Not an embarrassed kind of warm, only in her face,  
but an all over warmth that bloomed in her chest and spread outward through her whole body. The hand she's holding is warm. It's large,  
long-fingered and strong with deeply tan skin. She is indeed a tall woman, but she still has to lean her head back to see up to his face where  
that incredible bright smile beams down at her. Her visit to Washington has just taken on a whole new dimension.

When they reach the bonfire circle, multiple sets of eyebrows shoot up and mouths drop open at the picture of these two walking up holding  
hands. Bella and Jacob exchange glances in understanding. Jacob looks to Leah, Bella to Clive. Leah's expression is a mixture of shock,  
protective anger and resigned acceptance. She recognizes the look immediately. Clive has yet to learn of imprinting and its implications. All  
he really sees is his granddaughter being stared down by a boy who has no business holding hands, or anything else, with her. The age  
difference alone makes this association unacceptable. He is confounded that Marguerite seems completely unconcerned that she is gazing  
goofily into the eyes of a child. Fuck's sake, she's hanging on him like he hung the sun and moon! Jacob leans over to whisper to Clive.

"I know what you're thinking, my friend, but he's mature for his age and nobody else will love her better or take better care of her than he  
will. He's really a good guy. Give him a chance, get to know him. Okay?"

"What's going on with them all of sudden? They've known each other, what, 10 minutes?"

"Oh, man, I didn't expect to need to explain this to you. Condensed version? There's this thing called imprinting. It shows us, well, it shows  
our wolves, the person who is perfect for us as our life's mate, and makes us totally devoted to them, and them only, for life. It's reminiscent  
of love at first sight, but it's not necessarily romantic love. The wolf and the man become whatever the imprintee needs them to be, whether  
it's a friend, brother or life partner. The devotion is already there, the desire to protect and see to their needs is there. The relationship develops  
into whatever it was meant to be."

"How old is that kid?"

"Seth is 16. He'll be 17 in a couple of months."

"SIXTEEN! Are you kidding me?"

"All of us look a good bit older than we really are. It's a wolf thing, sort of."

"Mags is 26, Jacob. She's gonna fucking lose it when she finds out how young he is!"

"Well, now, Clive, let's just see what happens, okay? There's no law that says the guy has to be older and here on the Rez, the jailbait  
clause doesn't apply to guys, ya know?"

"Oh! Fuckin' hell, I hadn't even thought of the jailbait situation. I just figure Mags isn't gonna want to start something with such a youngster.  
Holy shit, this could be a real mess."

"Yeah, sometimes imprinting IS a real mess. It's not always obviously foolproof, we've found out the hard way, and it can get awfully confusing.  
Maybe it'll be okay, though. Maggie's a sweet lady and Seth is a nice guy. Who knows, this might turn out to be just the thing they both need."

At that moment, Marguerite jumped to her feet suddenly, nearly knocking Seth over in the sand.

"SIXTEEN!? No way! You're my age, surely."

"I'm big for my age. Why? How old are you, Maggie?"

Looking like she might faint at any moment, Marguerite palmed her face and muttered, almost whispered, "twenty-six."

Seth couldn't find his voice at first. He finally choked out a response.

"Wow, okay. That's a little unexpected. You really are young looking and incredibly beautiful. I didn't mean that the way it sounded. Oh hell."

By this point, the rest of the conversation around the fire had died down completely. The no-longer-private exchange between Seth and his  
imprint had drawn everyone's attention. And then, Bella, and at the same moment, Quil, began to giggle.


	36. Chapter 36

By His Side

Chapter Thirty Six

Bella and Jacob, Leah and Daniel, Katherine and Embry stood in a tight circle on the opposite side of the bonfire from  
Marguerite and Seth. The embers of the fire were low and glowing, almost dying away. Everyone else had had their  
fun, had their laughs and snickers, and gone home. Even Clive had been persuaded to depart with assurances that  
his granddaughter was perfectly safe and would be looked after most attentively. Maggie and Seth were still sitting  
on the sand, heads close together, deep in conversation, working to get acquainted and figure out their situation all  
at the same time. This wasn't going to be simple.

"Should we go over and try to help?" Daniel understood how unsettling a new imprint was.

"I can't imagine anything we could do or say that would do anything but confuse matters and make them worse."  
Bella was always the voice of reason and wisdom. Jacob smiled down at her.

"I think Bells is right. We should probably just slip away and let them handle it. In spite of Seth's age, they are both  
grown-ups and I'm guessing they wouldn't appreciate our interference. Why don't we mosey back to our place and  
warm up with a toast to the new and future couple?"

Leah stifled a snort of laughter.

"My little brother? A grown-up? Sorry, I'll never be able to see it. But Mags is a nice girl, er, lady, er, woman. Oh hell,  
this is so screwed up! Are you sure they don't need some guidance or something?"

Daniel gave her a reassuring squeeze around her shoulders.

"I think I agree with Bella. I wouldn't have a clue what to say that would be helpful without sounding goofy or snotty.  
I don't want them to think that I have any problems with the age difference. Cause I don't. Do you?"

Leah shook her head at once. "No, of course not. I just, oh I don't know. I guess Jake's right. We need to let them figure  
it out on their own, with no outside intrusions."

Bella pulled on Jacob's hand to start their progress toward home. "As a wise man once said to me...'Age is just a number, baby.'  
And I fully agree and embrace that philosophy. Let's go get that nightcap, shall we? These two are going to be busy and  
need some privacy, I'm thinking."

Jacob grinned at his girl, bride, wife, imprint, Alpha female. She was the best. He wrapped her up in his arms and began the  
trek back to their cottage. He had plans to show her later just how much he appreciated her. The two couples following  
behind them had similar thoughts and plans. It was going to be a long, romantic night in La Push.

Seth and Marguerite sat cross-legged on the sand, facing each other and holding hands. For a while, they had simply stared  
into each other's eyes and basked in the warmth of the fire and the new imprint. After a time, Seth had tried to explain about  
the imprint. He felt like he had failed miserably, but Marguerite had listened quietly, absorbing everything he said. She studied  
his face intently. He was amazingly handsome. That went without saying. But while they had been sitting together, she began  
to watch him interact with his brothers and the others at the bonfire. He had a maturity about him. It was obvious he had been  
through some trying times and trials by fire. That would put years on anyone, certainly a young man with that much responsibility  
on his shoulders. He'd become a wolf, ignorant of the fate that approached him like a speeding freight train. His sister had been  
dragged into the circle, too, at the same time as they had lost their father. No one could remain a "boy" after going through that,  
and still there was even more that had been heaped on his broad shoulders. He really was quite impressive, in more ways than one.

Seth marveled at the beauty of the woman in front of him. He quivered at the thought of holding her in his arms, kissing her, loving  
her. But he was also reveling in the simple act of getting to know her. The demonstration she and her grandfather were to put on  
for the Pack had been postponed until tomorrow and he couldn't wait to see her in her hawk form. The notion of watching her fly over  
his home forest tightened his stomach and gave him goose bumps. He was thrilled that she was even the least bit willing to get to  
know him and give the imprint a chance. He felt like he had been given a gift. He thought he would have to wait a long time for his  
soulmate to come along. He almost felt like Taha Aki had helped him cheat by finding her this soon. Although it seemed like he had  
been a wolf forever sometimes, and he wasn't the youngest of the Pack, he was still afraid he was going to wake up and find this was  
all a dream. A really good dream, but a dream nonetheless.

"What did it feel like?"

Seth shook himself from his musings and cocked his head at Marguerite trying to guess at the meaning of her question.

"What did what feel like?"

"The imprint. When it, um...hit you? Is that the right word? Does it 'hit' you?"

Seth smiled into her blue eyes. She really was exquisite.

"I don't know if 'hit' is quite it. I think a good analogy would be like..." He gazed out at the Pacific in thought, as if asking for permission  
to use the help in his description. "if an extra large, rouge wave washed over you, and one second you're standing in knee-deep water  
and the next second, you're treading in 50 feet."

Marguerite was taken aback by the picture he painted.

"Sounds a bit traumatic. Like drowning?"

"No, no, that's not it at all. How can I say this? If the wave was warm and soft, and it washes all over you and envelopes you in feelings  
of...goodness...and...rightness. Aargh, this is hard!"

"I'm sorry. I don't mean to make you struggle to explain. I think that last bit was pretty good. Do you want to know what I felt?"

"You felt it too?"

"Not the 'wave' but I did feel something. A warm spot started right here," she placed her hand on his chest to indicate her meaning,  
"and grew outward in all directions until I felt so warm all over that it was like a huge warm blanket had been wrapped around me. I  
can still feel it. It's still here."

"If I understand from what little I've overheard from the other imprints, that doesn't go away. Unless we aren't together, you'll always  
feel that security." He winced at the idea that they might not be together.

"Seth, I don't know you. But I'd like to know you. I like this feeling and I'm not sure I'd be happy without it. I don't know how the age  
difference is going to play into all this, but if you're not afraid of other people's opinions, then I don't see how I could justify being squeamish  
about it. I never pictured myself with a man your age, or another shape shifter for that matter, certainly not a wolf. But that's okay. I  
don't imagine you ever pictured yourself with a hawk, or someone my age."

"No, I didn't. But, Maggie, I think you are a beautiful, intelligent and interesting woman and if you'll give me a chance, give us a chance,  
I'll try to be exactly who you need and deserve. Just please don't be afraid of me or all this."

"I'll try, Seth. I'm not really afraid, maybe just cautious. Is that okay?"

"Of course! Cautious is good. Cautious is smart." He was babbling now and he knew it. He snapped his mouth shut as he looked into  
Maggie's amused eyes. He squeezed her hands and smiled back at her. Suddenly the silence between them felt...comfortable. Seth looked  
down at Maggie's lips and back up to her sapphire blue eyes. He slowly leaned forward while gently pulling on her hands and closing his eyes.

Maggie hesitated for only a split second. She found she couldn't resist at least this tiny step forward. She leaned toward him until her lips  
molded to Seth's mouth. It was tentative and sweet and warm. This boy, this young man, could be the one she had dreamed of for years.  
She decided at that moment that she would work hard not to care about the difference in their ages. Age was, after all, just a number.

Back at the Alpha couple's cottage, Bella was pouring tea for Katherine and herself, while Jacob had broken open a six-pack of beer for  
Daniel, Embry, Leah and himself. Leah said she didn't think she could handle tea after the night she'd had. Her little brother's imprint had  
rattled her cage, especially considering the age of the girl/woman, though Daniel didn't think that was the real reason for her anxiety.

"Come on, Leah, fess up. You just thought your baby brother would always be just that didn't you? You're not ready for him to grow up."

Leah scowled at him briefly before collapsing against his side.

"Okay, okay, you're right. And I'm not ashamed to tell the rest of the truth. If he grows up, then I grow old. And I don't like it worth a  
damn, Danny. So there!"

Daniel wrapped her up and held her close, kissing her temple.

"Come on, babe, you'll never be old so stop fretting. Seth's just coming into his own. He deserves this, I think, and if you're honest with  
yourself, you're happy for him. You know he needs this, too."

"I guess you're right. He's been lonesome since I moved out. He told me the house was too big and empty since Mom had moved in with Charlie."

Bella paused with her teacup halfway to her lips.

"That's something I'm still trying to get used to. Who would've thought that my Dad would 'live in sin'?"

Leah barked out a single 'HAH!" and reached over to shove Bella's shoulder.

"Oh ho, Mrs. Black! Are you saying your father and my mother's illicit affair is too much for you to handle?"

Bella's blush made Jacob and the whole group snicker this time.

"No! Not exactly. It's just that...well...my Dad...Sue...oh hell, I don't know. Somebody, please change the subject!"

Embry took pity on his Alpha's mate, his beloved sister-in-law in his heart.

"Easy Bella. We can talk about the demonstration tomorrow, okay? Jake, when and where are Clive and Mags gonna do their thing for us?  
I can't wait to see this in person."

"Clive said they'd meet us in the South clearing around 11 in the morning. I guess that might change if Maggie doesn't make it home tonight."  
He tried and failed to stifle a very unmanly giggle. Leah reached out to smack his arm.

"Gee, thanks Alpha! Appreciate you loading me up with THAT picture of my little brother!"

Katherine wanted to put in her two cents but was belayed by a huge yawn that overtook her. Embry stood and reached for her hand.

"Okay, that's it. My Kate needs a nap. We're gonna shove off, Jake. Give us a call if the demo gets moved or postponed."

"Will do, Emb. If you don't hear from me it's the clearing at 11. Danny, you and Leah will be there, right?"

"Yeah, you can count on us. Leah's been itching to see the hawk in action, and frankly, so have I, wink, nudge." He elbowed Jacob  
in the ribs. It was his turn then for a smack from Leah.

"Just remember buddy, you're mine, and you don't get to see her without her feathers, am I clear?"

"As crystal, sweet cheeks. Come on, let's let these folks get some sleep. I have plans."

"Oh, really? Well, then, Jake, Bella, Kate, Emb, good night. See you tomorrow." She grabbed Daniel and dragged him, well, not really,  
he wasn't resisting, out the door into the cool night air. Embry and Kate stood and bid farewell to the Blacks and strolled into the darkness  
arm in arm. There was a bit of love in the air tonight. Must have been the lingering effects of the most recent imprint.

Bella and Jacob were tidying up the teapot and beer bottles, bumping into each other deliberately as they moved around the kitchen.  
Jake's wicked grin, wiggling eyebrows, and Bella's lowered lashes and her pink cheeks were a clear indication of what they each had on  
their minds. As Bella wiped her hands dry on a kitchen towel, Jacob stepped up behind her and pulled her off the floor with a warm embrace  
as he buried his nose into her hair, taking a deep ecstasy-inducing breath. She reached both arms over her head and clasped his neck and  
hair with her fingers. She so loved having a husband who was so strong and tall. It was like having her own tree to climb.

She hummed in anticipation as he snuffled around her neck and ear. The next moment, the air was rent with a reverberating howl. Jacob  
and Bella froze for a split second, then Jacob was bounding out the back door, shoving his jeans down as he went. The howl sounded again,  
in stereo, as Collin joined Brady in transmitting the alarm. Jacob phased and listened as his command to report went through their minds.

_'It's vampires, Jake! At least three different scents! The trails cut across the Northern edge of our land!'_

It had been so long since an attack, the entire Pack answered the call. By the time Brady had finished his thought, everyone was wolfed out.  
Jacob felt them all and spit out orders.

_'Everyone converge on the North clearing from your home directions. That will put us coming together from all the way around it and we can _  
_close in the circle and trap them. What is it Paul?'_

_'Clive just blew my doors off, dude! He's waiting looking at me now with those fucking big green eyes. I guess he's coming along for the rumble.'_

_'That's fine with me I guess. Seth, can you watch the imprints for us this time?'_

_'Already on it, Jake. Rachel and Katherine are almost to your place to stay with Bella and I'm headed to get Emily and Kim. Uh, Jake?'_

_'What is it Seth?'_

_'Maggie phased too. I think she's headed to join up with Clive. I couldn't've stopped her if I'd tried. God, she's fast!'_

_'Don't worry about it Seth. I'm sure she can take care of herself and we'll keep an eye on her too.'_

_'Damn, Jake! These leeches aren't gonna know what hit 'em!'_

_'You got that right, Emb. That's not a bad thing, though.'_

_'I hear ya. No such thing as overkill when it comes to bloodsuckers.'_


	37. Chapter 37

By His Side

Chapter Thirty Seven

The nomad vampires had travelled from Canada down through the wilderness for days. Pickings had been slim until they had  
reached Seattle where they had been able to sample from the city's homeless and transient population. The unfortunate result  
in a city that size was that as long as the bodies were disposed of thoroughly, no red flags would go up, none of their victims  
would be missed. The nomads weren't overly concerned with anything remotely linked with their food, other than it's ready  
availability, but they did care enough that they didn't want to draw any unnecessary attention to the disappearances. They had  
migrated all the way from Russia searching for new hunting grounds and being careful had been a successful strategy for them so far.

But then, they wandered into the Olympic National Forest.

That was their first mistake.

They continued moving west intent on reaching the coast and turning south.

That was their second mistake.

They spotted a big fire in the distance on a beach below the cliffs where they stopped to reconnoiter. They assumed there would  
be food available in the area with this evidence of civilization so they circled round to set up an ambush near a group of cabins.

That was number three.

Brady was one of the youngest wolves, but he was big and strong and had an especially keen nose. His senses were on high alert  
since he was working one of his first patrols as a solo. Collin would be joining him shortly, but the first three hours had been on his  
own. He was proud to have been trusted to this challenge. It proved that his Alpha had confidence in his growing abilities.

He loped along through the Northern circuit of the perimeter patrol lane, enjoying the solitude and the clean, clear twilight air. He  
loved his home. He loved being a protector and a warrior. He didn't fear his future being wasted since Bella Black had used her  
inheritance to improve educational opportunities on the Reservation. He might have to stay in La Push, but he would still be able  
to expand his mind and contribute to his Tribe's future. He couldn't think of anything or any place he'd rather be.

It had been so long since Brady or any of the Pack had scented a vampire, it was a shock to his system. His hackles rose up and his  
lips peeled back from his canines as he began to follow the trail he'd crossed. When the smell bloomed into multiple hits, he threw  
back his big head and sounded the alarm. Thank God Collin was already on his way to join him. His brother was there in his head instantly.

'What is it Brady? You got somethin'?'

'Three of 'em, Coll. Out of the blue. North end.'

In seconds, the rest of the Pack began popping into his head. He relaxed a bit knowing his brothers and sister were on the way. He  
replayed the scents into the Pack mind and they could all see his location. He heard his Alpha's instructions and then heard the reports  
of the new fellow and his granddaughter also coming to join them. Eight wolves, a panther and a hawk against 3 leeches. This was going  
to be a massacre!

The three nomads were totally perplexed. The first wolf howl had surprised them. Not because it was a wolf, nor were they aware of what  
kind of wolf it actually was. They were surprised because they had not seen or heard anything around them. And that wolf howl was louder  
than anything they could imagine. It was so loud it sounded close by and they couldn't understand why they had had no warning whatsoever.  
Their hesitation was just a tad too long, but just exactly long enough for the Pack to descend upon them in the clearing. They stood back to  
back to back, stilled in confusion, not yet understanding that their time was rapidly coming to an end. They had never seen any creatures like  
these before and could not comprehend the imminent danger.

The Pack surrounded them. A couple of the wolves seemed a little sheepish at the sheer numbers they had produced to handle only three  
vamps. It had simply become a novelty for them. Nobody wanted to miss this, especially when they heard that Clive and Marguerite were  
joining them. The nomads began to shift uneasily, trying to find even the smallest of openings to escape, even as they were stunned in  
fascination at the menagerie before them. In addition to the impressive collection of giant wolves, a huge black panther and an immense  
hawk had arrived to hem them in. They weren't sure if they should run, or stay to enjoy the zoological presentation. They began to relax  
somewhat when the gathered animal specimens did not approach closer than a specific distance away.

They were completely agog when suddenly one of the wolves began to shimmer around the edges, only to morph into a human man, copper  
skinned and dark haired. His blood smelled delectable and the fact that he was stark naked did little to instill any fear or allay their hunger.  
They all turned to face him and spread out to attempt an approach for attaining some dinner. But then, he spoke.

"What do you think you're doing here?"

One of the nomads answered him almost involuntarily, his voice was so commanding.

"We were just passing through the area looking for accommodations. We're on our way down the coast. You wouldn't know of any good  
restaurants in the area would you?"

The nomad licked his lips and gave the man a lascivious once over with his eyes.

The naked man let out a booming burst of laughter.

"Oh sure, I know of several nice places. Where did you 'folks' come from? You have an accent that's unfamiliar to me."

"We come from Minsk, in Old Russia. We're planning to settle down somewhere in the southern part of California. We hear it's 'beautiful'  
there. Lots of rain and lots of lovely people. Friendly."

"Russia, huh? Well, I suppose I should welcome you to the United States, but I'm afraid I can't let you continue on your southern migration."

"What do you mean? Who are you to stop us? You don't know who you're dealing with, do you?"

"Oh yes, I know EXACTLY what I'm dealing with. It's you three who are in the dark."

At this brazen taunt, the nomads took a few steps toward Jacob, sniffing his blood, eyeing his pulse point in his neck, letting their hunger dull  
their other senses and instincts, like self-preservation. There were several rumbling growls from the rest of the assembled animals. The  
vampires were completely ignorant of the danger surrounding them.

Jacob thought this had gone on long enough and had established that these three were alone. He looked over to the panther and nodded his head.

"Clive, do you and Marguerite fancy doing your demonstration for us now? You know, a LIVE demo, rather than just a practice run tomorrow?  
Hey Embry, call Seth. Tell him to herd the girls into the panic room and come join us, he's gonna wanna see his girl in action."

The dappled grey wolf nodded at his instruction.

Clive, with his flair for the dramatic, phased to human to answer his young friend. The nomads were astounded, but still, stupidly, unafraid.

"Jake, we would be delighted. Thank you for the privilege. Magnet? Ready?"

The hawk flexed her wings and settled them back into her sides. Clive bowed to the Alpha and brought his panther forth again. He stalked  
around the nomads slowly, watching as they circled with him, always facing him. When he was satisfied at their relative positions, he let out  
a jungle cat scream that caused the Pack to cringe en masse. The nomads, however, could not cringe. They were frozen still. Jacob couldn't  
resist walking right up to the closest one. Its eyes rotated wildly in their sockets, being the only bit that would still move. The Alpha reached  
up with one hand and rapped his knuckles on the vampire's chest. He put a finger into his shoulder and gave him a little shove. The vampire  
simply rocked slightly back and forth like a statue. Jacob couldn't help the chuckle that came from his mouth.

"How 'bout that? They're 'weebuls'. Man, Clive, we could've really used you a few months ago when we had 20 of these fuckers comin' at us  
at once. Okay, Maggie. Show us what you got, sweetheart."

A sandy colored wolf skidded to a stop at the edge of the clearing looking worriedly at the hawk. The huge bird of prey looked back at him  
trying to convey her feelings to him. 'Don't fret' she seemed to be saying. 'This is my thing.' She also had an air of pride about her as she  
lifted off, as if she was pleased at the opportunity to show him what she could do. She flapped her wings a few times and gained altitude  
above the clearing. After circling overhead only once, she folded her great wings into her sides and dove down in a huge arcing swoop,  
leading with her talons at the last second and snatching a vamp in each claw as she redirected her flight path toward the sky.

"The parking lot at the old abandoned warehouse would be a good place," Jacob called out to her.

"It's just over this ridge behind us," he pointed in the right direction. Then he addressed the rest of the assembled group, jerking his thumb  
over his shoulder at the third vampire.

"This last one obviously ain't goin' anywhere. Come on, I'm gonna go watch this."

With that, he phased back to the huge russet wolf and bounded off in the direction he had sent the hawk. The rest of the wolves and the  
panther leapt as one to follow him into the forest and over the hill. It took only a few minutes for them to reach the edge of the old industrial  
park where he had sent Marguerite. They gathered in a long line at the edge of the expanse of concrete and watched entranced as the bird  
circled higher with its baggage. When she reached the desired level, she released one of the leeches from her talons. It was a bit unnerving  
to watch the creature plummeting like a skydiver with a malfunctioning chute. The wolves wouldn't let it bother them though. This thing was  
already dead, technically anyway.

Just as Clive had described, when the vampire struck the hardened parking lot, the shards splattered in a huge cloud, most too tiny to even  
see. It wasn't hard for the collected members of the Pack to imagine the effect on a sunny day. Some of the splinters glinted in the moonlight  
giving off a twinkly effect. The bird had released the second captive only moments after the first and before it struck the ground in a similar  
explosion of fragments, she had turned to wing her way back to the clearing to fetch the third one. In mere moments she swung in another  
arc, scooped up the last bloodsucker and headed back to the parking lot. Once she dropped that one, she wheeled around and returned to the  
beach. As Clive had assured them, there were no pieces big enough to burn, so the Pack and the panther made their way to the beach as well.  
Once there, everyone phased back and threw on shorts or other coverings.

"Holy shit, Clive! That was nothing short of spectacular!" Embry marveled. All the wolves were suitably impressed with their new compadres'  
M. O. Seth sidled up to Marguerite as she joined them, adjusting the straps to her sundress.

"That was amazing, Maggie! You are really somethin' else." He gave her a sweet kiss on the cheek but then pulled her into a smothering, warm  
hug. She gasped at first but then settled into him with a sigh.

"Thanks. It's nothing special really. Just what Gramps and I were born to do."

"Gramps?! Gramps?! I'll thump your ear young lady!"

Seth pulled Marguerite away and behind him. "Not on my watch, mister. She's mine to protect. You'll just have to scold her with words from now on."

Marguerite laughed and placed her hands on Seth's shoulders from behind. She lifted up on her tiptoes and peeked over him at her grandfather.  
He reached around and held her to his back securely.

"So there, Gramps! No more ear thumping! I've got a bodyguard now!"

Seth turned his head to where her face was snuggled beside his neck and gave her another kiss.

"You better believe it, baby. I'll guard your body all day, anytime, anywhere. You just say the word."

The woman behind him placed a warm wet kiss on the side of Seth's neck, making him jump a little, and shiver a lot. She then put her lips  
right up against his ear and whispered softly.

"Word."

Seth's eyes bugged out and a goofy smile bloomed on his face. The rest of the group on the beach, who had naturally heard what she had said  
to him, laughed uproariously as Seth turned and grabbed Marguerite, throwing her over his shoulder and running at top speed down the beach  
toward the far edge of the wilderness surrounding them. Leah turned to Jacob and shaking her head in resignation said, "I don't think you'll be  
able to put him in the patrol rotation for a few days Boss man."

Jacob nodded in sage agreement.

"I'm pretty sure you're right Leah. S'okay. We can handle things without him for a while I think. So, Clive, suppose you tell us the rest of the history  
of your ancestors in Norway or Denmark or wherever it was?"

"It was both of those along with Sweden and Finland. We were scattered around. This goes way back now."

With that the panther entertained the Pack with a brief history of his family's origins and how the relationship between him and his granddaughter  
had developed into the deadly tag team they had become.


	38. Chapter 38

By His Side

Chapter Thirty Eight

After Seth and Maggie reached the tree line, and he had gently set her back on her feet, and they had stood with their arms around  
each other for several minutes, and they had simply gazed into each other's eyes without speaking, Seth slowly closed his eyes and  
began to lower his mouth to Maggie's slightly parted lips. A first kiss is sometimes awkward, or sometimes clumsy and hurried. This  
kiss was none of those things. Maggie's eyes fluttered closed and the warmth of Seth's lips on hers reached all the way to her toes.  
Should sixteen-year-old boys be able to kiss like this? Who cares? This one can!

Seth softly raised his hands, sliding them up her arms and around the nape of her neck, and eased his fingers up her scalp and into  
her silky, thick hair. He cupped the back of her head with his big, warm hands, pulling her closer to him, trying to take all of her in.  
Her hands braced on his chest before extending around his neck and wrapping in his long, dark strands. She liked that Seth wore his  
hair longer than the other Pack members. It made his wolf's fur longer, and she'd had the chance to fly over him back to the beach,  
watching it flow out behind and around him like a horse's mane.

Eventually, the kiss became more urgent and passionate, their arms reaching out and around one another's body. They pressed  
themselves together from top to bottom, Maggie reveling in the warmth of his skin and his gentle touch, Seth wallowing in the  
sweetness of her taste and her scent. She smelled like honeysuckle and jasmine. He noticed that her smell had intensified during  
the kiss, as her skin temperature rose by several degrees. He swelled with pride that his woman had obviously conquered her fear  
of the imprint, her hesitation about his worthiness. His thoughts began to cloud and he was left thinking fuzzily, how cool it was that  
she was so tall. He hardly had to drop his head at all to reach her sweet mouth. Finally, with heaving lungs, and trembling touches,  
they pulled apart just enough to see into each other's eyes again.

"Would you be willing to come home with me, Maggie? Tonight? For a little while at least?" Seth asked with a shaky whisper.

She gave him a small smile and another brush of her lips against his.

"I think I would enjoy that immensely, Seth."

The smile he gave her was much bigger.

~BHS~

The new moon darkness made the stars in the sky over La Push shine more brightly than ever. The ocean waves lapped at the shore  
and a tiny pile of embers glowed in the fire pit. Little furry forest animals snuggled down undercover to stay warm through the night.  
Crickets and bullfrogs padded the woodland soundtrack. The land rested and the lifeforce slowed down until the velvety quiet coated  
all of the Reservation.

~BHS~

Daniel unlocked the door to his apartment, pushed it open, and stepped aside for Leah to enter ahead of him. She reached down and  
took his hand, turned to face him, and walked backward across the threshold, pulling him inside with a seductive smile on her face.  
He pushed the door closed behind him and turned the lock, giving her a smoky smirk. Dropping the keys on the coffee table, he let  
her pull him into the kitchen, giving her a quizzical look. Leah reached into the fridge, grabbed a large bottle of water, and flipped the  
switches by the entryway to the hall to turn off the lights in the kitchen and the front room. No words had been spoken since they got  
home. Were they fighting? Hell, no! This night was going to be special in many ways. Daniel had secret plans.

They journeyed down the hall to the master bedroom, still attached by their entwined fingers, Leah in the lead. As they entered the space,  
she reached for a remote on the dresser, tapping a button that brought up low, soft lights behind the headboard of the bed. Just as she  
started to untangle her hand from his, Daniel pulled on hers to bring her around to face him. She stood in front of him, questions in her  
eyes. Daniel's face was one of inscrutable intensity. His emotions weren't showing, his expression giving no hints. He reached into his  
jeans pocket and drew out a tiny velvet box. Leah's mouth opened but no sound came as her eyes widened. Just to make the moment  
as official, corny, cheesy, and romantic as possible, he dropped to one knee at her feet. His eyes were blazing brightly, shining only for her.

"Leah, I know this is fast, but I've never been more certain of anything in my entire life. I love you. I want to be with you from now on.  
I want to protect you and help you protect our home and this land, side by side. I want to make love to you, wake up every day with you  
in my arms and make piles of beautiful little silvery white snow cubs with you. You are my world, Lee. Will you marry me?"

Her black eyes were swimming with unshed tears and Leah was having trouble making her trembling lips form words. Her life had changed  
so dramatically since Daniel had rebuilt her heart after life had dashed it on the rocks in the raging surf under the cliffs of Second Beach.  
The man kneeling before her had his own tragedies and broken dreams, torn emotions and burning heartache. If anyone understood what  
she had been through, how she really felt, it was Daniel. He had told her everything about his life before they met. Like hers, it had been  
ordinary and uneventful until he had phased and his sister had come into her own supernaturally amped powers. It mirrored her growing  
up with Seth so much, the only real difference being that Leah still had her mother. She had yearned to comfort him as his presence and  
affection had her.

"Oh, Danny. I hope you know what you mean to me. My life was all darkness and despair before you came. There was no good reason for  
me to go on, to keep trying. I love you, too D. You've given me a future. I'll be honored to give you mine."

He opened the little box, removing the ring with shaky fingers. He was so afraid he would bungle this and drop it down a heater vent or  
something. It was a single round stone with intricate cutwork designs in the edges of the silver band and a skirt of little rectangular diamonds  
all the way around the big one in the middle. The man at the jewelry store called them baggies or something like that. All Danny knew was  
that it was really shiny and people, especially other males, would be able to see it on his girl's hand from a long way off. He wanted the  
whole world to know that she was spoken for, by him, so he held her hand in his and slid the ring into place.

As he straightened back to his feet, his fiancé leapt into his arms, wrapping her arms around his neck and locking her lips to his. He reached  
down and around to grab her thighs, pulling her legs up to encircle his hips. He waddled with her to the end of the bed and walked them  
together on his knees up the mattress, landing her as softly as he could manage on the pillows at the top. Bracing his upper body weight  
on his forearms on either side of her head, he spread warm kisses all over her face and neck, while pressing his body firmly against hers.  
She ran her hands around his waist and up under his shirt, kneading his muscular back with her fingers, pushing on the intrusive fabric to  
start it on its journey to the floor.

Sitting back on his heels, Danny tugged the tee over his head, flung it behind him and reached for the buttons on the front of Leah's blouse.  
She held his gaze as he worked them loose, trailing his hot fingers down the skin of her belly as it was revealed to him. He reached around  
her with one arm and pulled to a sitting position, flipping the clasp of her bra deftly. She raised one eyebrow at him as if to say, 'you're way  
too skilled at that task, buddy' but she smiled at him with a sultry look in her eyes as she shed her blouse and the undergarment together.  
He lowered his lips back to hers, pushing her back into the pillows, and the overheated skin to skin contact drove them both to another universe.

For the rest of this night, they would explore each other's bodies, learn each other's little quirks and habits and noises. From tender to  
passionate, from gentle to frenzied, they joined their souls and healed each other's heart.

~BHS~

At almost the same moment, in another spot in La Push, two more lovers are tangled in their own passionate embrace. These two are new  
lovers, also, each still learning what makes the other tick, what makes them smile, laugh, moan, gasp. Embry has promised Katherine that  
he will walk by her side to the end of time. The raven-haired beauty has stolen his heart, mended it, and cradled it in her loving arms, holding  
it close to her own. The quiet man, soft-spoken but strong, with the heart of the wolf and the bravery of a warrior, has taken her to heights  
of ecstasy and wrapped her in his warmth. She has never felt more loved, or more protected, than she does with this man. His wolf reached  
out and grasped her soul, banishing her insecurities, her fears, filling her with confidence, hope and love. They each understand the loss of  
family and how secrets kept can sometimes hurt hearts and kill trust. They have sworn to one another that nothing will ever be held back  
between them. They have just demonstrated that most visibly to each other

Embry reached up his hand and brushed a stray strand of her long, silky black hair back from Katherine's face. The blurry smile twitching  
across her lips tells him that he has accomplished his mission.

"My Kate, you are so beautiful."

"You make me feel beyond beautiful, Emb. I love it when you work your magic on me. You've turned my legs to jelly. You're not a wolf, you're a wizard."

"Only for you, my lady. Do I need a nametag that says 'Merlin' so you can pick me out of a crowd?"

She raised her head to press another kiss to his mouth.

"Not necessary, I think. I could never mistake another for you. Never"

"I'm awfully glad to hear it."

He ducked his head down and ran his nose from her cleavage all the way up to that spot just behind her ear that makes her wiggle in his arms,  
taking in her orange blossom essence and the sandalwood of her hair.

"I can always sniff you out from any size group. Your fragrance drives me AND my wolf out of our lust-addled brains, but I think we need some  
more practice pinpointing your specific emotional mood. I believe the wolf may have a strong urge to try to elevate your bliss level further. Hope  
you don't mind."

With her arms wrapped round his shoulders, and her legs wrapped round his hips, Katherine holds him close and whispers in his ear.

"Tell MY wolf I have no objections at all, as long as he continues the long hours and extra effort that he's made so far. I crave his attention in  
massive doses and I'm not likely to get enough for a very long time."

Embry Call grins down at his lovely girl.

"I am truly one lucky furball."

~BHS~

At the Alpha cottage, all is dark, but all is not quiet. Upstairs, in the master suite, with the windows open and the breeze fluttering the curtains,  
the Alpha has caused his mate to make any number of noises, not the least of which was the shouting of his name just moments ago. Tiny beads  
of sweat trickle down his temple and drip off the tip of his nose onto her throat, which she welcomes for the breeze blowing across the dampness  
may cool her passion-fevered skin. His dark eyes are blurry and glazed from his toe-curling efforts, and as they stare deeply into one another's  
souls, they both begin to laugh. Bella's starts as a very small giggle, and grows. Jacob's begins as a deep-throated chuckle, and grows. They are  
young, in love, and happy and the joy they have just shared is simply overwhelming.

Bella's lungs are gasping to regain their regular rhythm and capacity. Jacob's chest is heaving as his heart rate finally begins to level out. When  
he thinks he may be able to speak, Jacob whispers to his bride.

"Do you think it worked, Bells? How long did you say it had been?"

Bella clears her throat so her answer doesn't come out as an un-sexy-squeaky croak.

"She said it could happen right away or take several months after I stop taking them. It's been 5 weeks and I had one little period 2 weeks ago,  
so we won't know for at least another 2 weeks, maybe 3."

Jacob let out a very un-Alpha-like whiny huff.

"Two or three weeks? Aw man, Bells, that's too long to wait. I wanna know sooner. But, wait, we get to keep trying while we're waiting, right?"

"Of course, silly. My big, bad has been given a contract to assist in the production of the next Alpha, and he's expected to stay on active duty  
until his mission has been successfully completed. You are not allowed to stand down, soldier boy."

"Oh, baby! You really know how to encourage and boost my morale, Bells! So, can I interest you in Round Two, Honey? Or three? Or four?"

"You're not ready for a nap? Or a snack?"

"A nap, absolutely not! Hmmm, a snack?"

He pulled her close again, gently stroking the back of his fingers down her cheek and with his hot mouth, he kissed her senseless.

"Maybe at halftime, Bells."


	39. Chapter 39

By His Side

Chapter Thirty Nine

Bella and Katherine sat at the kitchen table, heads together, paperwork spread out before them, calculator, pen and pad  
covered with notes and equations.

"Has that got everything you wanted on the list, Bellie?"

"Let's look at it again. Billy's house, Rez school, medical center, park and playground, fitness and recreation center, restaurant  
and lodge complex, chapel and meeting house, expanded border checkpoints, that takes in the old Cullen property, right?"

"Yeah, the house will be repurposed as a library and halfway house, with all deedwork taken care of."

"This is gonna work, isn't it, Katie?"

"Yep, I don't see any reason why it won't. You rent the land or buildings from the tribe, do whatever renovations or new construction  
needed, using Quilalpha Construction and Packmates Labor Suppliers and Movers, and the use of it all is wide open. The tribe gets  
income, you get the improvements you and Jake have dreamed of, it's a win/win."

"Sister Kate, you are a freaking genius! I could never have figured out how to use all this money by myself, not without getting  
into trouble anyway."

"The taxes are wrapped up too, Bel, don't worry about a thing. The construction contracts and the vehicle maintenance contracts are  
ready to be signed, too."

"I can't wait for Jacob and the rest of the guys to see all this, not to mention the Council. They're gonna flip."

"I think this is the best way possible to get this stuff set up and moving forward. You're gonna be a landlord, Bellie, but I'll handle all  
the fiddly bits for you."

"Thank you so much, Katie. You are my hero."

"I thought I was your hero, Bells"

Jacob strolled through the back door and snatched Bella up from her chair, wrapping her up in his long, strong, warm arms and planting  
his face into the back of her hair, breathing her in deeply. Bella shrieked in surprise and went limp in his arms; her feet dangling off the  
floor, her eyes crossing with the sudden heat of the contact. Katherine sat back admiring the Alpha couple's affectionate interaction and  
had an urge to excuse herself to find Embry.

"Oh, you are Jake, you are. But when it comes to finances, my personal accountant here is way up on my list. You don't mind, do you?"

"I guess not. Hey, Kate."

"Hey Jake, how's it going?"

"Just taking a lunch break. The guys are almost finished with the Grand Opening prep for Wolf River Auto Repair. Tomorrow's gonna be a blast."

"That's great; I know Embry's really excited about all this."

"Yeah, we all are. This will solve a long list of very old problems, from income, to manageable work hours and schedules for the Pack,  
plus, it's something we know, we're good at it, we can enjoy it. You and Bells really nailed the answer for this."

"Glad to be of service Mr. Alpha Man. Mind if I ask a favor?"

"Shoot."

"Can I put in a special request for the rest of the afternoon off for your, uh, Beta guy? Do you need him around later?"

"Hmm, I don't know, he's pretty indispensable. Let me think...yeah, okay. He was still at the garage when I left. Go get 'im, Katiegirl."

Katherine giggled and jumped to her feet.

"Sounds like an open door to me! Bye guys! Call me later, Bella. Much later, okay?"

"Alright, Hon, I will."

Turning back to her husband, she narrowed her eyes.

"You sure know how to clear a room. If I didn't know better, I'd say that was pre-planned."

Jacob grinned broadly and happily at his little mate.

"Never said it wasn't, Honey."

They raced upstairs, Bella barely maintaining the lead and squealing all the way, Jacob hot on her heels.

A couple of hours later, the Blacks lay wrapped in each other's arms, exhausted, spent, deliriously happy.

"I love you, Bells."

"I love you, too."

"Have you got the tests ready to take?"

"Yeah, they're in the cabinet in the bathroom. I'll be checking tomorrow."

"Not today? Come on, Bells, I wanna know if there's a little Alpha pup in our future."

"Patience, Grasshopper. Today's the last day required since I stopped the pills. Hang in there for me, babe."

Jacob put on his best five-year-old pout.

"Aw man! I can't stand this! You're killin' me, honey!"

"Just 24 more hours. You can do it, big strong wolf man."

"I'll show you big, strong wolfman. I can spend the next 24 hours right here with you, ya know?"

"Ahh, geezis! I know you could, I know. But there are other things on our schedule and there are responsibilities we both have."

"Gah, Bells, you sound like a grandma!"

"Careful, Bubba. Someday I'll be able to sue you for that kind of slander!"

"Well, until you pass the bar, I'm safe. So there!"

The young lovers bantered on like this for some time, tickling, laughing, talking, planning. Bella's unexpected boon of the inheritance,  
along with the bequests for Jacob and Charlie, had thrown the door to their dreams wide open. The Tribe and Pack were already beginning  
to see benefits, not the least of which was the worry over providing for their families lifted from the wolves' shoulders. They all now had  
jobs, income, manageable hours, time with their families, the chance to actually start a family and the ability to plan for the future. Now,  
they all HAD a future. And Jacob was so anxious for his future with Bella to contain an expanded family.

He found that babies were very high on his list of dreams, most particularly, babies with Bella. His nurturing instincts and advanced  
emotional maturity were just the right combination, and his excitement at the possibility that Bella might be pregnant, now that he  
had persuaded her not to wait any longer, was hard to contain. Truth be told, Bella was just as excited. She just didn't want to let on  
yet. Her cautious nature was holding her back. She knew if it didn't happen soon, Jacob's hopes would be dashed and he would be  
inconsolable. She wanted to protect him as much as she could. She had vowed to stay by his side and help, love and support him as  
much as humanly possible, and she intended to do just that. For when Jacob set his heart on something, he never let go of the goal,  
just like he never let go of his desire to have her, alive and in his arms.

BHS

Sometime in the middle of the night, Bella and Jacob were roused from their deepest sleep by the insistent ringing of the phone. Jacob's  
hand shot out toward the bedside table, rocking the lamp on its base, and snatched the receiver up to his face, though it was still buried  
in the pillow and Bella's hair.

"Hello! What?"

_"Jake? Iszat you?"_

"Yeah, Clive. Geez, it's three in the morning. What's wrong?"

He reached to turned on the lamp, bringing Bella rapidly to a sitting position against him, rubbing her eyes and pushing her hair out of  
her face that was now etched with concern.

_"Got an emergency call just now, from Carlisle Cullen."_

"Oh shit! Now what?"

_"He needs Black Pack Air for a rescue flight. There's some sort of epidemic up in way North Alaska and they need several cases of_  
_ vaccine delivered."_

"Okay, well, that's a legitimate emergency, I guess. What're you calling me for?"

_"The vaccine was being delivered by another air service and their plane has disappeared off radar. They figure it's gone down. They're_  
_ trying to triangulate the location now. So this is a double rescue mission, Jake."_

"What do you mean, Clive?"

_"That's the reason Carlisle called us. The only way to get to the downed plane is cross country. It's heavily wooded and snowed under_  
_ and you know what I'm getting at."_

"They need wolves."

_"Exactly! And more than one I think. Maybe you and one other can come with me?"_

Jacob swung his legs over the side of the bed and rubbed his hand across his face.

"Does it have to be me? There's a lot of shit happening tomorrow around here."

_"The epidemic is highly contagious but it's confined to a single tribe of Native Americans up there. They have no one who speaks English,_  
_ Jake. Their language is real close to Quileute and Carlisle wanted me to bring you with me. I'll be winding up the little plane in about an_  
_ hour. We need to do this now, buddy."_

"Yeah, okay, you're right. That's gotta be me to translate. The other guys are just getting started with those lessons. Okay, Clive, I'll be  
there in about 20. Heat the damn thing up good."

"Will do bossman, will do."

Jacob hung up the phone and smiled ruefully at his wife. She had been able to hear the entire conversation. Her Alpha husband was sometimes  
in great demand, from more than just her. She leaned over to kiss him and started sliding down the mattress, grabbing her robe and slippers  
on the way.

"Jump in the shower, babe, I'll throw together some sandwiches and a thermos of coffee."

"Thanks, honey. I'm sorry."

"Ssshh! None of that. Duty calls. I'm so proud of you and your language studies. Now, the rewards start coming in."

In fifteen minutes they met in the kitchen and hugged each other tightly. Jacob kissed her soundly and stepped back reluctantly.

"With any luck at all, we'll be back within a couple days, honey. I'll be in touch, you know, in your head?"

Bella tapped her temple and grinned.

"I'll be right here, listening. I called Rachel. Paul will meet you guys at the airfield."

One more hard, breath-siphoning kiss, and he was gone.

BHS

"We'll be over the drop zone before daylight. You guys won't have to worry about flashing anybody but local fauna I figure. The beacon  
signal from the plane shows the location within a quarter mile radius. Shouldn't take you long to find it."

"Yeah, we'll be able to sniff it out, I'm sure. People, fuel, oil, it should stand out like a sore thumb. Paul, you got the earbud in place?"

"Yeah, it's in Jake. We tested it Tuesday. It stays put phased or not, transmits like a charm."

"Good deal. Clive, how low and slow can you get this bucket?"

"Hey! Easy on the insults! My Minerva is my pride and joy, a real peach."

Paul and Jake exchanged a look and burst out with laughter.

"You named your plane_ Minerva_?"

"Yes. That a problem for either of you? I can put you out at the next corner you know."

Paul swallowed hard.

"No offense, Clive. You do know the next corner is 9000 feet down?"

Clive just humphed. Yes he did know.

Jacob deflected the topic back to air speed.

"Can you get her down enough without stalling?"

"Sonny, I can park this baby on a gnat's ass and leave room for the fuel truck. Don't you worry about nothing. I can put you guys out  
at a gentle loping speed."

"Okay partner. We'll defer to your expertise. Paul, let's start getting ready. We'll strip and get stuff secured on our legs and I'll set up  
contact with Bells."

"On it chief."

Clive maneuvered the little aircraft over heavily forested mountains. Finally, the timberland gave way to open tundra-like territory. He  
brought the plane around in a sweep just beyond the edge of the tree line and skimmed about 15 feet off the ground. Paul wore a high-tech  
ear piece that connected him to Clive and all radio transmissions. Jacob linked up with Bella to ease her mind as she kept tabs on their  
mission and stayed in contact by phone with Carlisle.

When Clive gave the signal, Jacob slid the cargo door back and he and Paul crouched side by side in the opening. Clive raised his voice,  
but pulled it back when Paul cringed and his hand flew up to his ear.

_"Sorry Paulie. I'll make a hard left on your signal. That'll essentially throw you two out the door and out of the sweep of the rudder. I'll be_  
_ jerking it up at the same time. Don't worry about a thing. I won't clip you."_

Paul responded through the earbud that transmitted his voice via his throat vibrations.

_"Glad to know it, Clivey. We wouldn't want to get up close and personal with your tailfin, bubba."_

Clive grizzled a scoffing laugh and waited for Jacob to give him the high sign.

Jacob glanced at Paul, who nodded his readiness, and pointed at the pilot. He dropped his hand seconds later and as the little plane banked  
sharply to the left, Jacob and Paul, naked as jaybirds, leapt out and down toward the ground as it drifted lazily by. They phased on the fly  
and the huge wolves, russet and silver-gray, hit the ground running, swerving around toward the thick forest, as the craft that had dropped  
them soared back up into the clouds hanging over the mountains.

The two wolves bounded effortlessly through the trees and undergrowth. Soon, they caught the scent they were seeking. Within 10 minutes,  
they had located the downed delivery aircraft. They halted their approach about 50 feet back and sniffed the area thoroughly.

_"I don't smell any survivors, do you Paul?"_

_"No, 'fraid not, Jake. Just fuel, smoke...and blood."_

The shifters shimmered and stood up on their human legs. Slowly approaching the wreck, they silently mourned for the apparent loss of  
human life, given in an attempt to save others, a noble effort. Jacob talked to Bella through their mindlink trying to cushion the reality of  
what they were seeing. Paul communicated their findings to Clive.

_"I'm glad you can't see this, Honey. The pilot and co-pilot didn't make it, but the vaccine case is intact."_

Bella sighed, heavy with sorrow.

_"Okay, babe, I'll notify Carlisle. Please be careful my Jacob."_

_"We will Bells, we will."_

The two men carefully stepped through the torn fuselage wall to check for any lifesigns. Upon finding none, they retrieved the bright orange  
medical case and carried it between them a few feet from the crash.

Popping the locks and latches, Paul began transferring the plastic boxes of vaccine bottles into a double-sided pack with sealable pockets. The  
pack was specifically designed and made to drape across the back of a large wolf for carrying small materials rapidly over otherwise impossible  
terrain. The design was a joint effort of Jake and Paul and Bella had executed the design with Emily's help. The heavy canvas pack was coated  
with a waterproof layer and secured around the wolf's broad chest like a saddle cinched onto a horse. This wouldn't be the first time members  
of the Pack had delivered important items across rough and inhospitable lands.

Jacob placed an additional radio beacon and signal flare close to the wrecked aircraft and helped Paul situate the pack across his shoulders.  
Leaning forward to keep it in position, Paul again brought forth the big silvery gray wolf, allowing Jacob to adjust the straps to steady the load  
on his shoulders.

_"Okay, Bells, tell Carlisle we're loaded up and headed north. We'll contact him when we get close to the village."_

_"He said he'll radio the medic, babe. That's the guy who'll meet you there to administer the vaccinations. Said you should arrive almost the_  
_ same time."_

_"Thanks, Baby. Paul, tell Clive we'll meet him at the rendezvous point in 24-36 hours."_

_"He says he'll be there."_

_ "Hey Jacob?"_

_"Yeah, Bells, whacha need baby?"_

_"Be careful, and Carlisle says the meet point is close to Point Hope. Maybe that's a good sign, huh?"_

_"Maybe so, Bells. Maybe so."_

The two giant wolves ran at unbelievable speeds through the harsh terrain between the crash site and the village that was under siege. No other  
method of transportation could have accomplished the task within a safe timeframe. The villagers needed the vaccine yesterday. Jacob and Paul  
were acutely aware of the importance and urgency of their "angel" run.

It was a mission of mercy, to be sure.


	40. Chapter 40

By His Side

Chapter Forty

Three hours later

The russet and silver-gray wolf bounded through the woods to the outskirts of the village of Point Hope. They rounded the edge of the  
town and headed further north to the outpost where the flu virus had mushroomed out of control, epidemic proportions now. There were  
seal-skin huts and even some igloos clustered together in the settlement. The residents were distant relatives of the Inuit tribe, but spoke  
a language and lived a lifestyle closer to the Quileute than one would think. They were whalers and sealers and survived almost completely  
from the sea. The main difference of course was the habitat, open tundra and ice floes versus thick evergreen forest and Pacific Coast  
beaches with pebbles, boulders and barrier islands. The people to whom Jacob and Paul raced the saving medication were called the Sto lat Te.

The two wolves stopped some distance outside the village to phase and dress in human clothing. To prevent unnecessary attention, the leg  
packs for both Jacob and Paul contained nylon insulated suits and booties. They might have stirred up a rumor or two had they arrived wearing  
nothing but cargo shorts, sans shirts or shoes. Jake phased first to remove the vaccine pack from Paul's shoulders, who then also phased as  
they began to don the bright orange suits. True to form, Paul had an editorial comment he simply couldn't keep to himself.

"You know, I don't think orange is really my color. Do you?"

He waved at Jacob with a floppy wrist that landed then on his hip.

"I think I'm a Thpring anyway. You know, mothley greenth for me."

He howled. Paul never failed to crack himself up. Jacob dropped his face to his palm and shook his head sadly. Of all the brothers-in-law  
that were available to him...

"Don't be bitchin' about the orange, brother, the alternative was hot pink, and I don't think either of us would have survived that backlash  
from our Packmates."

"You're right, I take it back. Bleurtchgh! Hot Pink?!"

"For the ladies, I'm guessing."

"Yeah, well, they can have it. Orange it is."

"Okay, Mr. Blackwell, ready to get this stuff distributed?"

"On your six, chief."

The men began the short trek to the village on foot. They would worry later if anyone thought to ask where they had actually come from. With  
any luck at all, no one would.

As predicted by Carlisle, the medic, a guy named Steve, arrived in a Sno-Kat just minutes before Jacob and Paul walked into the edge of the  
compound in the center of the settlement. He was standing in front of a sealskin hut trying to talk to a man who was likely the Chief of the tribe.  
The man had a regal bearing, a wise face, and was clad head to toe in fluffy white and gray fur. Steve was having no success at all with his  
attempted conversation. Jacob hailed the small group and approached the pair that were trying and failing to communicate.

"Are you Steve?"

"That's me. You got the vaccine?"

"Right here. Ready to go. Refrigerated by Mother Nature. Do you need any help?"

"Only with talking to these natives. They're a little mistrusting, as you might imagine."

"Yeah, no surprise there. Let me give it a shot."

The leader of the local people had been staring at Jacob and watching the exchange between the two men with much interest but also with  
something like awe on his face. When Jacob turned to try to speak to him, he spoke first.

"_You are shifter?"_

Jacob was appropriately stunned and gaped at the Chief for a moment or two. The language was surprisingly similar to Jacob's mother tongue and  
he was able to form a response to the question instantly.

"_How do you know this?"_

"_You and your companion, your size, you are shifters, we know you. What animal are you?"_

"_We are wolves."_

Jacob was glancing over his shoulder at Paul, who was trying to follow the conversation. He had been studying the language as well and traded  
a knowing smirk with Jacob when he began to understand some of the words being bandied about. The Chief turned to a man standing just behind  
his right shoulder, spoke a few words, and indicated an igloo toward the edge of the village. The man suddenly turned and trotted off toward the dwelling.

"_I have sent for Sqilatow. You will speak with him and his men."_

"_While we wait for him, may we begin to give your people medicine for the fever they have?"_

"_Is that why you were sent? Of course! Tell your man to proceed."_

"_Thank you for your permission._ Steve, it's a go. Get started setting up your triage area. Paul, give him a hand okay?"

"Done deal, Jake."

The man the Chief had sent to the igloo at the edge of the village soon returned. He was not alone. Walking calmly beside him was the biggest  
man Jacob had ever seen. He was perhaps seven and a half feet tall, maybe a touch over, and easily 350 pounds. His hair was snow white and  
flowed about the tops of his shoulders. His eyes were black and glittery and missed nothing going on around him. When they landed on Jacob,  
they first narrowed in mistrust, accompanied by a low growling in the man's chest. By the time he had stepped right up toe to toe with Jacob,  
who actually had to look up at the man, he had spread his lips in a huge grin showcasing a mouthful of crowded, yellow teeth. Jacob had started  
at his feet and worked his way north to the headful of silky, silvery hair. For the first time since he became Alpha, Jacob actually felt just a tad  
small. He grinned back at the giant who offered his arm to Jacob and then grasped him like they were long lost brothers. To say Jacob was taken  
aback, was the understatement of the decade. The Chief introduced the man and was spokesman for him, for it seemed that Sqilatow had a  
language all his own that didn't even remotely resemble what the Chief was speaking.

"_This is head of Shifter clan. This is Sqilatow. Say for him your name"_

"_I am called Jacob. 'JAY-COB'. My man there is 'PAWL'. We were sent with medicine for fever. You are shifter?"_

The Chief nodded his head with an affirmative response and slapped Sqilatow on the back, patting him like an old friend.

"_Sqilatow is top of clan."_

"_What animal is Sqilatow?"_

"_All the clan are the great, white bear. They help hunt and also protect." _

"_I understand. My people call great, white bear 'Polar Bear'."_

"_Polar bear? What is 'polar'?"_

"_It is white man's word for top of world. Also bottom of world."_

The Chief laughed and shook his head as if to say, 'silly whiteman.'

Jake could only laugh with him. The atmosphere was casual for the moment, but Sqilatow suddenly reached out and placed a huge, heavy  
hand on Jacob's shoulder. His face had gone stone cold serious and he spoke in a low, suspicious tone to his Chief in his own language.  
Jake was troubled and trying to stay calm in spite of the big man's grip on him.

"_What is wrong with Sqilatow?"_

"_He says you have Spirit Mate."_

"_What does he mean? Spirit Mate?"_

The big man eased his grip on Jake's shoulder when the Alpha rose up and growled low in his chest. Then the shifter-bear smiled broadly  
again, patting Jake on the arm and nodding conspiratorially as if they shared some sort of deep, men-only secret. The Chief tried to explain  
and question Jacob at the same time.

"_Sqilatow says he feel your Spirit Mate. She very strong like Sqilatow's woman. He wants to see her if you allow."_

Jacob stood with his mouth hanging stupidly open for a few seconds. The big man could 'feel' Bella and now he wanted to see her? The bear  
spoke again to his Chief.

"Sqilatow says you may see his Spirit Mate if you like. A sign of friends."

Jacob stepped back and considered the two men before him. Why the hell not, he thought.

"_Hey Bells? Are you there, Honey?"_

"_Right here, Jake. You okay?"_

"_Yeah, we're fine, uh sorta, you're not gonna believe this..."_

Jacob explained the situation and unusual request to his young wife and she was thrilled at the opportunity of testing the distance capacity  
of her Spirit Warrior. Bella ran upstairs and locked herself in their bedroom for safety's sake. She stretched out on the bed and closed her  
eyes, breathing deeply to open up her mind to seek her Warrior. Soon she was deep in a slumber-like state and the huge mahogany wolf  
was strolling through the mind and soul of her mate, far away at the edge of the Arctic Circle. Jacob closed his eyes and concentrated for  
a few minutes, Sqilatow and his Chief watching him very closely. Soon, Jake opened his eyes and smiled warmly as he looked over the  
shoulders of the two native men in front of him. He motioned behind them with his head and said simply, _"Bella. Mate."_

The two men turned and gasped aloud as the manifestation of the two-story tall wolf strolled past the igloos on the outskirts of the village.  
She stood still and looked over the area when her gaze finally settled on Jacob and she gave him a big wolfy smile. The Chief and the Bear  
were duly impressed and both bowed low and reverentially to the Spirit Mate of the visiting Shifter. Sqilatow, standing to his full height,  
rolled his shoulders, relaxed himself and closed his eyes. Barely five minutes later, the image of a large female polar bear walked up next  
to the mahogany wolf. Sqilatow extended his hand toward the area the apparitions occupied.

"_Ursula. Mate."_

They were able to actually regard each other and trade recognition. The wolf briefly looked behind the bear and nodded her head, then shook  
her big head in a negative fashion at a similar gesture from the bear. The men exchanged glances and questioning looks. Now, the women  
were 'talking' and the men knew they probably were not invited to join that conversation. Shortly, the two female Spirit Mates acknowledged  
each other one final time, dipped their heads to their mates and faded into sparkly crystals that floated away on the breeze.

"_Jake!"_

"_What is it, Honey?"_

"_That was awesome! We could communicate with thoughts. Sort of like pictures."_

"_I'm so proud of you, Bells. That was amazing. What did you see behind her, before she left?"_

"_Oh, that. She has 3 cubs. I could see them in her mind's eye, still watching over them."_

"_Wow! Cool! Long distance baby sitting? We should try that, Bells. Real soon."_

"_Okay! Down Papa! Down boy!"_

"_You didn't happen to take a test, did you baby? Hummm?"_

"_As a matter of fact..."_

"_Come ON, Bells! Don't be mean!"_

"_Okay, ya big puppy. Hmm, let's see...what does a plus sign mean? I forget."_

"_BELLS! A PLUS SIGN! DO YA MEAN IT?"_

"_Yeah, I'm pretty sure it was a plus sign."_

"_Yaahhhooooo! A plus sign! Make a doctor's appointment ASAP, Honey. We need confirmation and lotsa checks to make sure you're okay  
and stuff. YEAH! ALRIGHT!"_

"_Easy, Big Fella. Heel. Down Boy. Your hosts will think you've totally lost it. Try to contain yourself until we're absolutely positive, okay?"_

"_Whhoo! Okay, yes ma'am. I'm cool. I'm good. Oh Bells! I'm so happy, baby!"_

Sqilatow and his Chief began to wonder if their visitor was succumbing to the fever himself. He was grinning and shuffling around and  
wiggling like a happy puppy.

"_Did your Spirit Mate like my Mate? All is good?"_

"_Oh, yes! Sorry! All is good with both Mates. My Mate tells me we expect pups. New information."_

"_The Sky Warriors bless you and your Mate. My people happy for you."_

"_Thank you! I must hurry home! Must celebrate coming pups." _

"PAUL! Is Steve about done with us? We need to head back, NOW!"

"What's wrong, Jake?"

"Not a damn thing, brother. Bells is pregnant! I need to be there!"

"Sounds like you already were there, bro! Ya know, they've figured out what causes those things now."

"What things?"

"Babies, ya doofus! Babies!"

A/N: Thank you to all my readers. You are all awesome and then-some. Thanks for the reviews and kind words of encouragement. The native  
name (Sto lat Te) and description of the village that Jacob and Paul visited is completely fictitious. Point Hope, Alaska is a real place. Jacob's  
odd 'native-speak' was just a bit of literary license. Please forgive name 'Ursula' is a derivative form of the Latin URSUS for the Genus  
of the Polar Bear. It is rare but very special for female polar bears to have triplets,and it does happen occasionally!

_ MORE SOON!_

MAMA


	41. Chapter 41

By His Side

Chapter Forty One

Bella Black stood at her kitchen sink sipping a cup of tea and gazing out the window toward the woods that encircled the back yard. She  
had been alone at the house for three days now and was about to succumb to a slight case of cabin fever. Her husband was due home any  
minute and she had stayed in all day to make sure she was prepared for his return. She had spent the morning making all of his favorite  
foods in order to lay a spread before him to welcome him home and show him how much he was missed. Her life these days was full and  
busy but still depended on his presence to bring the complete picture together. He was her life and if not for him she knew she would have  
no life. If not for Jacob and his steadfast love for her she would indeed be dead by now. In fact, she would likely be undead. She might have  
given away her future to an existence of cold emptiness or she might have been forced into that lifestyle. Either way, Jacob's intervention  
in her life, whether active or passive, had prompted a decision that had given her a real chance at a real future. She would be taking the  
next step into that future in a few months, with Jacob by her side, when they welcomed their first child into the world.

As she finished her tea and rinsed out the cup, she lifted her eyes back up just in time to see Quil and Embry, a light brown and a mottled  
gray and white wolf, step out of the edge of the woods and acknowledge her as they spotted her through the window. She lifted her hand  
to wave at them and was placing the cup on the drainboard as two exceedingly warm arms slowly slipped around her waist, pulling her back  
gently into a very warm, muscular chest. These damn wolves sure were quiet. She'd never get used to that. The owner of the arms and chest  
lowered his head until his lips were right next to her ear, tickling with sensual pants of warm breath. The sound of a deep inhale through her  
hair raised millions of goosebumps on her skin. The voice that followed was a deep, husky whisper.

"I didn't think it was possible but you smell even better than before now that there's pupscent mixed in with your own."

"I'm glad you like my new perfume. Let's hurry upstairs, my husband will be home very soon, we've not a moment to lose."

"Hmmm, that sounds like an excellent idea and I don't care if your man shows up or not. You're mine now and I don't intend to let you go...ever."

The pair of strong arms reached down behind her knees and her waist and lifted her up effortlessly, cradling her tightly to the warm chest. She  
encircled the neck with her arms and tucked her head into the crook of it, snuggling into the shoulder. The soft and silent trip up the staircase was  
slow and steady. The curtains in the bedroom were drawn shut so the light was subdued and sultry. She was delicately placed on her feet at the  
side of the bed and fingers were gently dragged across her eyes to make sure they stayed closed.

"Just feel," he said. "And listen."

With hands that warmed her skin at each touch, the buttons of her blouse were slowly undone and the garment was pushed off of her shoulders  
to fall with a whisper to the floor. The hands took her wrists and pulled her arms over her head and then her camisole was pulled over and dropped  
to the side. A pair of big thumbs hooked into either side of the waistband of her sweatpants, edging them past her hips and sliding them down to her  
ankles. Her hands were softly grasped and placed on a pair of huge, muscled shoulders for her to balance herself while her panties were gathered  
down to join her sweats and each foot in turn was pulled out of the remaining coverings. There was a pop of a snap, a zipper and the scrubbing sound  
of a pair of blue jeans being pushed off followed by the wrapping of a tee shirt around a forearm and yanked over a head. She could hear the shirt hit  
the carpet on the floor at the same moment she heard the new longer hair being shaken out of eyes.

There was a moment when nothing happened at all and only breathing could be heard. Then a very warm and hard body moved right up against her  
and made skin to skin contact from her nose to her knees. The warm arms then lifted her again in a gentle hug that pulled her feet off the floor and  
softly crushed her into the cocoon of that big body. Two steps forward and she was being lowered to the bed as the body accompanied walking on its  
knees to the center of the mattress. He laid her down, laid himself down beside her and hovered over her with one hand on the opposite side of her  
ribcage and one leg draped over her own, effectively pinning her to the comforter. She could feel his moist breath as he leaned close to her face and  
slipped his lips across her nose, her cheekbones, her eyelids, her lips.

"Do you have any idea how beautiful you are?"

She didn't get the chance to respond to the question as a pair of full, soft, warm lips pressed completely over her own mouth. The kiss began chastely  
enough, lips only with pressure and stillness hallmarking it. Soon, though, the lips began to move, ever so slightly, and ever so gently, working side to  
side with her own lips, creating a new contact and friction. A tiny touch of a tongue to her bottom lip caused her to part her own mouth and grant entrance.  
The kiss that blossomed then was as deep and intimate as any kiss she'd known. She was tasting the very essence of the love that he felt for her and the  
passion that was in his soul. When he lifted himself over her fully and parted her legs to express his love in the most physical way possible, she felt her  
heart swell along with the warmth in her belly where she knew her child lay sleeping. His child. Their child. Made from love. Their future begun. Together.

By his side.

Hours later, after a post-love-making nap, Bella was awakened by Jacob nuzzling into her hair once again, taking a deep, soul-settling sniff of her new,  
distinct fragrance. The air ruffling past her ear tickled and she pulled herself inward trying to escape the sensation.

"What is the deal with all the sniffing, sweetie?"

"I can't describe it, honey. The baby has changed your scent subtly and I swear it's like crack or something now."

"Oh goodie! Does this mean you're going to be getting high off of me for the next few months? That could get awkward in front of the Pack and in  
public you know."

"I guess it could, babe. But I can't say that I really care what anybody else thinks, you know. You're my wife, my woman, my mate, and the mother of  
my child and I can't think of anything that really trumps any of that. I'll sniff you whenever and wherever I feel like it. So there!"

"Well, I guess if you put it like that..."

"There is one thing I'm a tad worried about though."

"What's that? Cold and stuffy nose season?"

"No, not exactly. If I can tell the difference in your smell, the rest of the guys will be able to do the same and I'm guessing that you'll smell as good to  
them as you do to me and I guess I'll be having to kick some ass on a regular basis until the baby is born."

"Oh, my God! I never thought about that! They're all gonna be hanging around me hoping for a chance to snort me aren't they?"

"Not if they know what's good for them, or if they have any sense of self-preservation, but I'm sure they will be getting as close as they dare. You'll  
probably be getting lots of volunteers to help with anything you want done that calls for brute strength and low brain activity. If you know what I mean."

"Oh, brother!"

"Yeah, that's pretty much the root of the problem."

"Jake! Can you order them to shut off their noses?"

"Whoa! Not really fair, honey."

"I know, I know. I'm just trying to think of how I'm going to survive seven months of feeling like a rosebud. Can you be sniffed to death?"

"I doubt it, but I don't intend to let anyone try to find out. Like I said, if they're not totally stupid, they'll keep their distance."

Bella cocked an eyebrow and looked at Jacob. Jacob stared back at her and realized what he had just said.

"Okay, I'll think of how to word an Alpha order to keep them from sniffing too close to you."

"Good thinking."

Five days later

Bella and Jacob walked out of the doctor's office into the light drizzle. They neither seemed to notice the moisture in the air and they moved, nearly  
stumbled, toward their car in the parking lot. There was no conversation when they reached the car, got in and fastened their seatbelts. Jacob put the  
key in the ignition, but didn't turn it to start the car. They sat in complete and utter silence for several minutes. Bella reached into her purse and pulled  
out the photograph that had been handed to her just before they left the office. She looked at the black and white image and thought that if you didn't  
know what you were looking for, you wouldn't be able to tell if it was a picture of anything at all.

Jacob looked over at the object in her hand and reached for her wrist. He gently grasped it and pulled her hand that held the photo over, bringing it right  
to his face. He squinched up his eyes as if he was looking for an image of a bird or something to magically appear within the light and dark shadows. He  
studied the picture, turned his gaze on Bella, who looked up to him at the same moment, and returned his attention to the square in her hand.

"Twins?"

"That's what she said."

"You're afraid to say the word aren't you?"

"No, I can say it."

"Okay, then let's hear you."

There was a long silence in the car. You could call it a pregnant pause if you like. That's what Jacob would call it. He focused his complete attention on  
his wife in the passenger seat. She squirmed a little and tried to pull back her hand from where he held it across the front seat.

"Well?"

"Oh, for pity's sake, Jake! I can say the word any time I get ready. Don't be ridiculous!"

"C'mon Bells, don't be scared, honey. I think it's a shock, a surprise and the greatest news I've had in a while. We might need to expand the house a  
bit sooner than we'd planned, but it's gonna be terrific, don't you think?"

"Yeah, terrific."

Jacob released her wrist and reached for her face with both hands. He cradled her cheeks, brushed away the first couple of tears and lowered his lips  
to her, whispering words of love, comfort and confidence to her.

"Bells, honey. It'll be okay. We'll just be getting a head start on the family we planned. We wanted more than one, didn't we? This will just give us a leg  
up on our brood. We can afford it now and I'll be right here with you the whole way. Honey, are you okay?"

She sniffled and drew a deep and shuddering breath and tried to form her fears into words that didn't sound silly and unreasonable. She failed.

"I-I'm just scared, I guess."

"Of what, baby?"

"I don't know. Well, I do, actually. It's just that...well...I'm small, Jake."

"Yeah, so?"

"What if I can't carry two babies long enough to bring them into the world healthy and fully developed?"

"Is that what's got you tied up in knots?"

"Well,...yes."

"Bells, honey, let me explain this to you the best way I can. And it's probably not gonna sound all that delicate. I apologize in advance. But,...you're my  
imprint. You're the Alpha's chosen mate. Twins run in my family. Those things combined mean that you are the perfect one to have my children and if  
they happen to come two at a time, then your body will easily accommodate them and be able to take care of them before AND after they're born."

Bella's eyes grew wider and wider as he spoke on about her body 'accommodating' his children. Holy...!

"You mean...?"

She couldn't get the words to form and leave her mouth.

"If you couldn't handle twins, you wouldn't have conceived twins. Your hips will adjust and, other...ah, parts will be able to make allowances for two babies."

The color drained out of Bella's face and when she let her head fall back onto the car seat, Jacob was afraid she had fainted.

"Honey! Bells!"

He grasped her hands in his own and pulled her more upright. She finally rolled her head to the left and gazed up at him with watery eyes but a silly smile  
growing on her face. She barely managed to whisper to him.

"Twins."

"Yeah. How 'bout that?"

"Oh, no, dammit!"

"What is it baby!?"

"I'm gonna be huge!"


	42. Chapter 42

By His Side

Chapter Forty Two

Jacob got up from the kitchen table where he and Bella were sharing a last cup of coffee before he had to leave for some neglected  
work at the garage. A knock at the front door had drawn him to his feet, and with a questioning look at his wife he strode across the  
living room and opened it to find four of his Pack brothers clustered together on the front porch. He looked at them quizzically, regarding  
the expectant and excited looks on their faces.

"What?"

Quil was first to speak, blathering out his words breathlessly.

"Is Bella home?"

He sounded like a junior high school kid nervously trying to get in to see his latest crush from homeroom. Jacob narrowed his eyes and  
leaned out a bit to take in a sniff of his brothers. He was searching for a telltale sign of their actual intentions.

"Of course, she's here. What's up guys?"

"Well, uh, um, Paul told us, uh...he just mentioned...um..."

"Spit it out, Quil. Paul told you what?"

Embry stepped forward shouldering the still stammering Quil to the side.

"He might have mentioned that Bella's expecting, Jake. We wondered if we could, um...talk to her?"

Bella had grown curious and come up behind Jacob to investigate their visitors. When she heard Embry's request she stepped around her  
barricade of a husband and smiled graciously at the four wolves on her porch.

"Jake, what's the problem here? Why don't you invite the guys in? Embry, what did you need to talk to me about?"

When Bella moved into the doorway, the four boys each drew in deep breaths and moved almost imperceptibly toward her. Jacob reached  
a long arm around her waist, tugging her backward while a soft growl rose from his chest. Bella looked up over her shoulder at him, her eyes  
widening and scolding at the same time.

"Bella, um, Paul here said that Jake here said that you said you had taken a pregnancy test. That it was positive. And we heard you guys were  
at a doctor's office yesterday."

"Yes, Embry. I did, it was, we were. Come on in, I'll get the ultrasound picture for you to see. Jake, you're gonna have to let me go sweetie. Jake?"

Their Alpha hadn't moved again since wrapping the protective arm around his mate. Paul, Embry, Quil and Jared stood their ground but didn't  
dare advance any further until their leader relaxed and allowed them entrance. After several more tense moments of the staring contest, Jake  
scowling and the four on the porch looking nervous, hopeful and deferential, he took a single step back into the living room. Still holding Bella,  
he took another. Finally, Bella patted his arm and give it a pinch to get his attention directed at her instead of his brothers.

"Babe, it's okay. You can let me go for a minute while I get the photo. Why don't you show the guys into the living room and you can all sit.  
Or better yet, ask them if they'd like some coffee."

Jacob gave an involuntary shudder and pried his gaze away from their guests and down to his little mate. She smiled up at him reassuringly  
and he was able to focus on her eyes to fight down his wolf and release his grip on her. He moved away from her a few inches and mumbled  
a 'come on in' toward the door. Bella turned to reach toward her purse on the table in the foyer to dig out the picture. When she pulled it out  
her car keys hung on the edge and dropped to the floor, clattering loudly. Before Bella had a chance to react to the dropped item, five hands  
reached out to fetch it for her. More growls erupted and she was surrounded by a wall of quivering muscle and wondering if she was about to  
be compressed beyond recognition.

"Hey! Easy! Thanks, boys. I've got 'em."

She took the keys from the multi-fingered grasp and dropped them back into her purse.

"Embry, why don't you boys have a seat in there? Jake, can you help me in the kitchen, babe?"

The stand-off defused and the visitors moved to the sofa while Bella pulled her unwilling and unhelpful husband by the hand toward the kitchen.  
She snapped her fingers in front of his face a few times to draw his attention away from the living room and to her.

"Jacob Black! I don't know what this is, although I've got a guess that I'll bet isn't far off the mark. If you don't stand down and behave, I'll have  
to send you to your room or something. Baby, chill. It's okay."

"No, it's not okay, Bells. They're here to sniff you! My wolf won't stand for that shit!"

"Jake! You said yourself that this would be likely to happen. You can't tell me you didn't expect that your wolf might get a touch pissy about it."

"Pissy? PISSY! Bells, I'm tellin' you, if even one of them gets too close to you, I'll rip him apart!"

"Jake! You'll do no such thing! Hey! Hey! Right here, bubba! These are your brothers. They only want to protect their Alpha's mate and his  
unborn pups. They would never do anything untoward and you know it!"

The group on the sofa could hear this entire exchange. They collectively cringed at the threat from their Alpha, but at the next thing his mate  
said, they leaped as one and barged into the kitchen.

"Pups? PUPS? As in plural? As in more than one? How many are you having Bella? Is it gonna be a litter?"

The questions layered on top of each other, that last one, of course, came from Quil.

Jake had shoved Bella behind him at the crowded intrusion and he stuck his chest out toward his brothers who were clamoring for a glimpse  
and a sniff of the momma-to-be.

"No, it's not a litter, you idiot! It's twins. We're having twins."

Quil drew in a deep breath and his face went positively dreamy. He looked like he was tasting a fine wine or possibly sampling a bite of divine chocolate.

"Twins. Ahhhh. How wonderful."

Bella burst out with belly-deep laughter as Jacob huffed in exasperation. He reached out to pop Quil in the back of the head but his wife stuck her  
arm around him and stilled his hand.

"Jake! Back it down baby. Yes, Quil, twins will be wonderful. Here, you guys take the picture back to the living room and we'll bring the coffee."

The four wolves, mindless grins on their faces, clustered together like they were gazing at the Baby Jesus in His manger and shuffled back to their  
seats to peruse the photograph she'd handed them.

Bella tugged on Jacob's shoulder until he turned to face her. He looked at the reprimand in her eyes and hung his head like a chastised cookie-stealing child.

"I'm sorry, honey. I didn't know my wolf was gonna get so out of hand with other guys around you. It must be a baby daddy thing."

He grinned at her begging for absolution as he leaned down for a soft but hot kiss. He knew where her weaknesses were. She moved against him  
and soaked up the love he was raining down on her.

"It's okay. I understand. I just hope your brothers do. And you might want to apologize to them, don't you think?"

"Apologize? For what?"

"Oh my God! You're kidding, right? For being such a horse's patoot toward members of your family who only wanted to give us their best wishes. If  
they need to sniff the pups, let them sniff the pups, Jake. You know they don't mean any harm."

"Oh, hell no!"

"Jacob."

"Bella."

"Husband."

"Wife."

"Alpha."

"Not fair!"

"You owe your Pack the chance to be happy for you. Don't be so territorial. You can pee on my leg later if it'll make you feel better."

"Not funny, Bells. Oh, alright. I'll work on it. I'm not promising anything."

"And?"

"And...I'll apologize to the guys."

She tip-toed up to kiss him again and gave him another pat on his arm. They prepared the coffee and joined their guests in the living room,  
Jacob carrying a tray full of mugs. As he placed it on the table in front of the sofa, Bella gave him a meaningful look and tilted her head toward  
his Packmates.

"Here we go, guys. Cream and sugar here on the tray. And...um...sorry I was rude."

The last four words were barely audible, trailing off to a mere whisper, but the boys still heard him.

"It's okay, Jake. We understand. I'm sorry I let the news slip in the first place. Quil beat it out of me."

"I did no such thing, Lahote! Your head was full of that shit as soon as we phased last night."

"Was not!"

"Enough! Doesn't matter. Now you know."

Bella tried to settle the mood. This was going to be an interesting pregnancy to say the least. Embry had more questions he could no longer hold in.

"When are they due? Have you thought of names? Are they boys or girls?"

Bella laughed at the barrage.

"Seven months or thereabouts. Haven't decided yet. Don't know and don't want to know. We want it to be a surprise, right babe?"

"Yeah, that's why we only got the one picture. Didn't want any that showed tiny little private parts, ya know?"

At this Quil erupted. It wouldn't have been so bad if he hadn't snorted coffee out his nose, causing Bella to lunge at him while snatching  
up a napkin trying to save the upholstery and carpet. She pitched across the coffee table, toppling the cream pitcher and the sugar bowl,  
diving head first into the laps of the occupants of the sofa. They all four grabbed for her, in a totally protective way of course. Then Jacob  
jumped to his feet, tossing his chair over backward in the process, and plowed into the group to rescue his mate from the marauding molesters.  
The final picture from this fiasco was something to behold. Quil and Jared each had black eyes. Jacob had a busted lip. Paul had a cracked  
rib. Embry escaped injury unless you count the burn on his hand from the scalding coffee. Less bloody, but no less traumatic, was the mess  
on Bella, the sofa and the carpet. A mixture of coffee and cream and sugar coated the furniture, the floor, and all of her. She was particularly  
pissed about the sofa and the carpet.

Before the week was out, she had Jacob and the others pulling out the carpet and installing laminate wood flooring. Something, Bella  
informed them, that could be cleaned with soap, water and paper towels.

After several cuddling, loving and general make-out sessions to reassure him and soothe his wolf, Bella finally managed to convince Jacob  
that his brothers couldn't help themselves and simply cared about their Alpha's pups, too. It was something she was going to have to get  
used to as well. It was just strange for someone to walk past her and draw in a deep sniff as if she were drenched in expensive perfume. But,  
if they said she smelled irresistible to them and they couldn't control the need to scent her to make sure everything was okay with the pups,  
she would just suck it up and think of it as an additional way to keep tabs on the health of her babies.

The best part? Jacob had been right about having an unlimited supply of volunteers to help her out with anything, absolutely anything. You  
should have seen how fast that flooring got installed. She decided to make the most of the situation. She got a garden plot dug up. She got  
weeds pulled and leaves raked. She got groceries carried from the car into the kitchen. Then she really got creative. She got cribs assembled  
and a nursery painted. The expansion of the house was put on hold until better weather. They would probably keep the babies in the room with  
them for the first months anyway. But Bella knew a good thing when she was slapped in the face with it. She was the Alpha's mate and a  
mother-to-be. That combination status gave her a power that she wielded with a heavy hand. She just couldn't help it. She was wallowing in  
the attention.

Little did she know how overwhelming the attention could become and how hemmed in she would begin to feel when the pregnancy became all  
encompassing. The raging hormones had a hand in this too. There was no way Jacob could have foreseen the dilemma he would find himself in  
from playing a simple game with his unborn pups.

Eight months into her pregnancy Bella was sleeping soundly, for once, finally. She was warm and snuggly, curled into her big wolf's embrace.  
She was dreaming. As most dreams, this one made little sense. She was bouncing a basketball. A basketball? She'd never even touched a basketball  
to the best of her knowledge, but here she was, dribbling away. She missed the rhythm and the ball came up and bumped into her stomach. She  
tried to reach out to grab it but missed and it bumped her in the stomach again. The ball seemed to have a mind of its own and continued bumping  
her stomach on its own as she was unable to get a grip on it.

She tried once more but the ball dissolved and became her husband's head. She blinked a time or two as she focused on Jacob's shiny black hair.  
Why was his head on the mattress right in front of her gigantic belly? Then she felt the bump again, then Jacob chuckled quietly, then he poked her  
tummy. The poke was immediately followed by another bump. She softly whispered to him so as not to startle him.

"Jacob Black, what in the wide world of sports are you doing?"

He glanced up at her, giving her an embarrassed grin, then returned his attention to her stomach.

"Ya gotta see this, Bells! This is so cool! See, you can see the outline of a little foot on the skin of your tummy, and if I push on it a little, it pushes  
back. See? Look there! Isn't that awesome! Watch!"

He continued pushing on the same spot and giggling like a kid when the foot pushed back in answer to his action. It was simply amazing how easily  
he could be entertained. He was totally absorbed at his newfound toy and Bella could only shake her head at his all-consuming delight. However,  
the spot on her belly was getting a tad irritated, inside and out. So was she. Demonstrating an amazing capacity of nerve control not to separate  
her husband's head from his shoulders, she reached down to push his hand away from his plaything. He looked up at her and pouted at her halting  
of his fun. She smiled down at her "first child".

"Jacob, dearest, the babies have been doing laps inside me for two months now and if they're not doing that, they're at soccer practice or playing  
ping pong. They really don't need your encouragement to get their daily exercise and that spot you've been working is starting to get a little reddish.  
Do you think you could cease and desist, please?"

"Sorry, Bells. The little bugger kicked me in the back about an hour ago and when I rolled over to escape, I looked down at my wife's beautiful big  
belly and saw my child's foot sticking into the skin. I tried but I couldn't stop myself. I reached down to give it a little tickle and he pushed back  
against my finger. It's just amazing, honey."

Bella just gazed at his face, the awe and exhilaration showing on his features, warming her heart. She was truly a lucky woman. Her fella was  
handsome, smart, upstanding, loyal, an excellent provider and a man who was dedicated to his duty. The cherry on top of this sundae was the  
excitement and giddiness he felt over the coming beginning of their family. She held no fear for her future, as long as Jacob was by her side.

She had to giggle herself when Jacob leaned back down to place a sweet kiss on her tummy, and got a tiny kick in the nose.

A/N: Thanks to all my readers and reviewers. And a special thank you to LOS who nominated me for the Fandom Choice Awards. I'm stunned  
and grateful. mama


	43. Chapter 43

By His Side

Chapter Forty Three

"I now pronounce you husbands and wives. You may kiss your brides, gentlemen."

Embry Call reached his arms around Katherine White Eagle Call and pressed his lips tenderly to hers.

Daniel White Eagle and Leah Clearwater White Eagle wrapped their arms around each other and kissed deeply.

A cheer went up from the congregation. The double wedding had finally taken place after being postponed at least twice.  
Many things had gotten in the way. Vampires for one. Inheritances that needed to be distributed and put to work for another.  
Katherine, the accountant, had been stepping and fetching handling Bella's new fortune. Leah, Daniel and Embry had all been  
taking classes, some online, some at Peninsula College. They had all agreed that the ceremony wasn't required and they wanted  
to have the time to do it right, so the timeline got extended. The only conflict in play now was Bella and Jacob's babies.

Bella Black was 8½ months pregnant, with two very healthy, sturdy, active, happy babies. The first three attributes were obvious,  
the last, happy, Bella knew from the way she felt on the inside. She could literally feel her babies' happiness. She knew they were  
enjoying swimming around inside her warm body. She knew they loved their Daddy because of how they reacted whenever he was  
anywhere in the vicinity. All she had to do was think of him and they would wiggle around. When he came into the same room where  
she was, the babies would wake and jump as if trying to reach him. When he held their mother in his warm embrace, they would stretch  
and dance and push on their confining cell in a desperate attempt to touch him, at the very least, through their mother's skin. Bella had  
found this activity heartwarming and annoying at the same time. Fortunately, Jacob found it heartwarming and ego-boosting and  
pride-inducing and chalked their mother's behavior up to hormones of a pregnant lady. Sometimes you just have to forgive them. Or  
overlook them. Pregnant ladies, that is. Jacob had become very wise indeed in the category of pregnant ladies.

The wedding was beautiful. The ceremony was traditional blended with modern/Christian. Billy, Old Quil and Reverend Weber, Angela's  
father, officiated in concert over a program designed by the two brides. The new Chapel on the Reservation lent the perfect setting, covered  
from stem to stern with spring flowers. The brides both wore white, though one chose a taffeta, silk and tulle number, while the other  
was wrapped dramatically in white deerskin with a great deal of long fringe and snow white beads, and white moccasins. Guesses as to  
which was which?

The grooms followed along with their brides. One wore a charcoal cutaway with a dove gray weskit, white shirt and four-in-hand ascot. The  
other wore black deerskin breeches and shirt with long fringe, copious beading, all black, and black moccasins. Jacob stood as Best Man  
for Embry. Seth stood up for Daniel, much to Leah's delight. The girls' attendants were many and varied, family and best friends. Bella,  
however, was not in the wedding party. She had begged off saying there was no way she would be able to stand up for the duration of  
any length ceremony. Her ankles and her back were about done in and she had had it. She pleaded and threatened both couples that they  
would allow her to watch from the sidelines.

There was a short traditional reception next door in the Council chambers then everyone headed for the beach for a celebratory bonfire.  
There was additional food and drink and music and dancing. Everyone joined in, except Bella and Jacob, of course. Jacob assisted his chubby  
little wife down to the beach with a long, strong arm wrapped around her waist, what there was left of it. She waddled everywhere she went  
now and though he found it to be one of the cutest things he'd ever seen, she was definitely not amused. He would kiss her and tell her how  
beautiful she was and kiss her belly and talk to his children and she would scowl at him and tell him that he did this to her and when she could  
move again she would pound him into the ground. He was undeterred and unafraid. Until today.

Jacob sat on a log bench facing the fire. Bella rested in his lap, cradled in his arms. In this manner, he could support her back, legs and belly  
and the warmth of his body soothed some of her aches and pains. Jacob leaned down and nuzzled into her neck through her hair. As she and  
his pups had grown, her scent had thickened and grown heady. In the last six weeks he could hardly keep his hands off of her and at the same  
time he had felt the need to stand guard at their front door almost round the clock. His wolf had grown possessive and hair-triggered. He had  
finally demanded, just short of Alpha ordering, that the rest of the Pack could come to the front porch and no closer. At first his brothers had  
whined about being locked out of their Alpha female's radiant presence, but her scent had permeated outside and they were eventually content  
to mill around the doors and windows. Even Leah had been affected by Bella's circumstance, feeling attracted to and jealous of and protective  
of her all at the same time. She told Bella that she would be happier than her when the little ones finally made their appearance. Bella laughed  
and told Leah that she doubted that very much.

They watched the fire and the revelers and Jacob whispered words of love in her ear. Bella lifted her face to his and placed a sweet, incendiary  
kiss to his lips. His eyes darkened with lust and he spoke to her of his desire to depart from the festivities. She nodded her agreement and he  
stood with her in his arms, walked to the two happy couples, and made their farewells with best wishes. Bella waved goodbye to the party over  
Jacob's shoulder as he made his way toward the tree line. Bella turned back to see their direction was beyond the parking lot and their vehicle  
and looked questioningly at her husband.

"Babe? We're not driving?"

Jacob's face was set, his jaw clenched, his dark eyes locked on an as yet unseen goal.

"Not yet, honey. There's something I want to show you. Don't worry, it's not far."

Indeed, Bella was comfortable cuddled in his warm embrace, she couldn't care less how far they went. She would travel with Jacob anywhere  
his heart desired.

Within 20 minutes, Jacob had brought his wife into some of the thickest wilderness she had ever seen. The canopy made the light here almost  
like dusk. The ferns here were taller, the moss thicker. Everything seemed greener, if that was possible. He slowed his pace and she began to  
look in front of them to try and discover what his surprise for her might be. Her mouth flew open in astonishment as her gaze fell upon a wide  
oval pool of shimmering water, little wisps of steam rising from the surface. She turned to meet Jacob's eyes with joy glittering in her own.

"It's the hot spring I've been telling you about, honey. I'm sorry it's taken me so long to bring you out here to show it to you. I thought it might  
feel good to you, too, like a big bathtub. No bubbles, though, sorry."

"Oh my! Jake, this is beautiful! I never imagined..."

Words failed her and she hugged his neck tighter and snuggled her face into his shoulder as he gently lowered her feet to the ground. He quickly  
pulled off his shirt, shoes and socks and dropped his slacks and boxers before helping her out of her dress, slippers, panties and bra. He bent  
down and lifted her back up to his chest, kissing her softly and stepping out into the warm, clear water. He moved forward until he stood on a  
limestone shelf about five feet under the surface. With the water lapping just above his elbows, it was easy for Bella to float and enjoy the sense  
of weightlessness. He simply held her close to him with his head tucked into her. They breathed each other in deeply. This was pure bliss.

The babies liked the warm water too. They began to wiggle and adjust their position subtly, causing Bella to suck in a short breath as a kidney  
was nudged. Jacob was used to her little gasps and cries by now. She'd had to calm him down plenty of times during the first bouts of movement  
that made her make noises. At first, he'd been a rather panicky father-to-be. He'd settled down eventually and his calmness had eased Bella's  
nerves as well. Even his wolf had finally shuffled off into a corner, slightly sulky, but hanging on, grumbling.

Jacob sniffed for a moment. He raised his head and something in the water caught his attention. Something that shouldn't be there.

"Bells, what's that?"

"What's what, babe?"

"That there, in the water beside us."

Bella was about to scream bloody murder fearing that either Jacob was playing a poor practical joke on her, or a fish or snake or other critter had  
come to investigate who was invading his water park. Her scream was swallowed back down into her throat when she turned to look at the spot  
where Jacob had motioned with his head. There in the water spreading out around them in a watery rosy cloud was what could only be Bella's broken  
water. Before she could get her mouth to form a coherent word a pain the likes of which she'd never imagined zinged through her body causing her  
to convulse in Jacob's arms, causing Jacob to come perilously close to coronary arrest.

"JACOB!"

"BELLA!"

He turned to leave the spring when her contraction subsided and she gripped his shoulder with a strength he didn't know she possessed. He stopped  
and watched in horror as another bolt shot through her and she screamed like she was being gutted with a sharp sword.

"Oh God, Jake! Stay in the water!"

"What? What do you mean stay in the water? Bells, we've got to get you to the clinic and call Sue up from the beach!"

A third contraction in as many minutes nearly tore her from his arms as her body jerked in on itself.

"No! Jake! There's not time! They're coming now! You have to help me!"

"What? No, honey, I-I don't know what to do!"

"Yes you do, Jake! You've been through the classes with me and Sue. We practiced in the tub at home and we even tried it once in the tub at the  
clinic. Ahhh...you can do this! We have to!"

The pains were coming almost too fast for her to speak any longer. She grasped Jacob's face with both her hands, looked into his terror-filled eyes  
willing all the strength she could into him and kissed him soundly.

"Put me down, babe. I've got to be up against the edge where I can put my elbows back on the bank to brace myself. You've got to help me brace  
my legs, okay? Jake? Baby? You ready?"

Jacob Black was having a great deal of trouble speaking at the moment.

"Ready?"

"To become a Daddy?"

"Oh, God!"

"JACOB!"

She snapped his name right to his face and he centered all his attention on her.

"Okay, honey. I'm here. I'm here. Put your feet on my shoulders, okay? I'll walk forward till your knees are bent. You say when it's far enough, Bells."

"Okay, okay, we can do this. Jacob!"

"What! What is it honey?"

"I love you."

"I love you, too, Bells. Always."

The next twenty minutes was harrowing for both of them, but the babies came so fast and Bella's shrieks got so entertaining and colorful, Jacob didn't  
really have the chance to get really scared. He was pretty busy himself. He held Bella's arms during the contractions then rubbed her belly and legs while  
she caught her breath braced on the bank.

It was hardly the most orthodox birth, and it certainly wasn't planned to happen this way, but Bella and Jacob brought their first two children, sons, into  
the world on their own, alone, together in the deepest part of the forest they both loved. When the time came, Jacob was there, like a catcher behind  
home plate. Bella pushed, screamed, howled really, and Jacob caught his first-born son in the warm spring waters of Sol Duc. Not two minutes later, he  
caught his second son in one hand, while still cradling the first tiny baby in the other. He cradled both boys side by side under the water until Bella had  
caught her wits from that last contraction when she released the edge of the pool and reached for her sons. She held each of them close as Jacob wrapped  
both long arms around his newly expanded family.

"Oh my, Jacob! Look at them!"

"They're beautiful, Bells. Just like their mother."

He leaned down to kiss her lips, wiping her face with fresh water, then placed a tiny kiss on each little head of the angels in her arms. He pushed her back  
against the edge of the pool again and quickly lifted himself out of the water. He phased, howled, and when one of his Packmates answered his call, he  
relayed the news and their location so Sue and supplies and transportation could be brought and everyone else could be notified. Quickly lowering himself,  
as a man, back into the spring, he reached for one of the babies and began to rub him down, cleaning him and stimulating his circulation. Bella did the same  
with her other son then looked worriedly to Jacob.

"We don't have anything to get the water and stuff out of their little mouths and noses."

He thought about this dilemma with the analytical mind of the engineer he was. His eyes brightened and he smiled brightly at her.

"Don't worry, Bells, I've got it covered."

He turned the little cherub in his hands till it rested belly down in his palm. He gently lifted his child out of the water and tilted him down a touch, then back  
up a bit, letting gravity do the job for them. He swapped babies with his wife and performed the same maneuver with his other son. Both boys squirmed,  
wiggled, cooed and gurgled. While Jacob was 'draining' his second son, his first had happily latched onto one of his mother's breasts and hungrily began  
lapping up his first meal. Bella reached out her free arm and Jacob helped her position the other baby at her other breast. The sensation of feeding both  
of them at the same time was indescribable. Bella could only smile and cry as Jacob wrapped her once again in his strong arms, while he smiled and cried  
along with her.

More rapidly than they could have hoped, a crowd descended upon them and their sons. Sue took over as soon as Bella and the babies were gingerly  
lifted out of the water and placed on a stretcher. Cords were cut and blankets were wrapped. She had even brought two tiny little blue knit caps with  
her. Bella looked up at her in surprise.

"How did you know?"

Sue grinned back at her with a twinkle in her eyes.

"Just a lucky guess."

Jacob chuckled at Sue's sneaky 'little-bird-told-me' expression.

"Lucky guess, huh?"

Sue nodded and assured him she had no insider information. Just woman's intuition. A very valuable asset. She wrinkled her brow at him then.

"But what I don't know is their names."

Quil and Jared had been the first to reach them from their patrol trails. Of course, Quil was beside himself at being an uncle. He had contributions for  
the newest Pack members' names.

"Are we just going to call them This One and That One? Or maybe Thing One and Thing Two?"

He ducked away from Jacob's shot to the back of his head, just in time to catch one from the opposite direction from Jared. As exhausted as she was,  
Bella was breathless with her laughter.

"You dork! No we're not calling them This and That or Thing 1 and 2! Jacob? Will you do the honors?"

"We've decided on William Charles and Jacob Ephraim, Jr. We'll probably call them Will and J. J."

Everyone tried the names on for size in their minds' eye. Smiles and nods of approval went round the little group as they loaded into the back of a truck.  
They traveled extra slowly to a small clearing where new great-uncle Clive dropped in with his new helicopter, collecting the whole party and whisking  
them away to the Rez clinic for final checkouts and some long overdue naps. The newlyweds all stopped by before departing for their double honeymoon  
to give their love and best wishes and congratulations to their Alpha couple and their new pups. Jacob looked up expectantly when Embry scoffed and  
barked out a laugh.

"What?"

"This date will see some of the biggest parties and bonfires in the history of Rez from now on, won't it?"

"You mean because we'll be celebrating two wedding anniversaries and two birthdays all on the same day?"

"Yep. All on the same day."

Quil added, "Man! Think of all the food!"

A/N: I took a few logistical liberties with general principles of childbirth, which should be hard and fast but sometimes aren't. Please forgive me all you  
mothers out there. Hope you enjoyed it. Please review and once again, thank you Lady of Spain. I'm still stunned speechless over my nomination in the  
Fandom Choice Awards for 2012. There are tons of great authors and stories there. Go read some and vote for your favorites. They're sponsored by  
Tricky Raven and you can vote at .com.


	44. Chapter 44

By His Side

Chapter Forty Four

For the first time in quite a long time, Bella Black was comfortable. Relatively speaking of course. She had several fewer  
pounds on her frame, her back, her ankles. She was resting in a nice, soft bed, propped up on a mountain of soft, feather  
pillows. Her big, strong, hot, wolfy husband was snuggled up next to her in the bed with one long arm wrapped around her  
shoulders, holding on tightly. He was whispering warm words of sweet love into her ear and reminding her that she was the  
most beautiful girl he'd ever laid eyes on. Her heart was overflowing with an indescribable happiness. The reason for this, at  
the top of her list, was that Jacob's other arm was helping her cradle their two tiny new sons to her breasts.

She wasn't sure who was more entranced by the pair little of angels in front of them, her or Jacob. He was spellbound as he  
stroked Will's back with one big thumb. She was mesmerized by Jay's fuzzy little helmet of hair. Both boys had heads full of  
soft, feathery deep brown hair. Their skin was a smooth, rich tan and velvety. Their mouths were perfect, rosy, pouty kisses.  
Each boy had his own unique shade of cocoa brown eyes that echoed their mother's. They were smallish from being twins, but  
nearly full term helped them tip the scales at just shy of six pounds apiece. Once Sue got them settled into a room at the clinic,  
got measurements and weights, the boys let everyone know that their lungs were exceedingly well developed.

At the first wail, from Jay, whom Bella had immediately re-nicknamed, the room cleared out faster than a school room at the  
last bell. Quil's eyes nearly rolled back as he clamped his hands over his ears and ran, just ran. Bless his heart. Bella and Jacob  
learned a secret at that moment. They both laughed so hard at Quil's escape, the babies stopped crying and began to watch their  
parents' antics. When the parents noticed their reaction, and stopped laughing, the boys set off the sirens again. Bella and Jacob  
stared at one another and had their a-ha moment. They began laughing again, and the crying ceased. Jacob puffed up and strutted  
over to pick up one of his sons from the bassinet.

"There's my boy! Hmmph, this parenting thing, there's nothing to it, Bells. We've got this."

Of course, the baby in his hands couldn't let that pass. But he did let something else pass. Suffice to say, Jacob had been baptised,  
or perhaps anointed? The crying began again, the babies and Jacob. Bella's laughter interrupted her sons' wails, but not her husband's.  
Once Jacob and the leaky culprit were cleaned up, feeding time produced a peaceful family snapshot. Bella said she couldn't stand too  
much more mirth because she was still a tad sore from the suddenness and ordeal of the birth. She shuddered to think what would  
have happened if Jacob hadn't been with her and they hadn't been in the hot spring.

The miraculous nature of the boys' arrival into the world was a topic of conversation that spread like wildfire. The next day, a reporter  
from the Forks newspaper came by asking for permission to interview and photograph the new family. Jacob put the kibosh on that  
right away. He Alpha'd up into the reporter's face and then stood to his full height to shoo the rude and insistent fellow on his way.

"Absolutely not! There will be no pictures of my wife or my sons in anybody's newspaper.!"

The last thing he wanted was the chance of this news attracting unwanted attention to the Reservation and the Pack. Things had  
quieted down considerably over the last several months and he intended to keep them that way as long as possible. The only noise  
he wanted to hear now was those two little boys when they wanted some attention or some dinner. He could handle the first, Bella's  
purview was handling the second. They didn't need the intrusion and they didn't want any help. They had had many late night  
conversations concerning their relative young age and starting their family. They were determined to handle this on their own.  
They'd never ask for help if they could manage it alone.

Little did they know...

~BHS~

"I tell you, it is true. Last I heard was there's about 50 of 'em. And I, for one, intend to go see for myself. You chicken pansies can  
stay here or grow some and come with me. Up to you."

The young vampire stood as tall as he could manage and folded his arms across his chest. His eternally teenaged cohorts shuffled  
their feet and cast sidelong glances around the circle at one another. They were having a meeting of their newly formed 'gang coven'  
and one of their number had pointed out that they no longer needed to stay put in their small territory outside Grand Rapids, Michigan.

A rumor had circulated across the country about a pack of giant wolves in Washington state. No mention was made about any connection  
to vampires or other supernatural creatures. The numbers of the pack had been grossly inflated and the teen vampires simply thought of  
it as a tourist attraction that might be interesting. They had been in their home territory for many years and were growing restless as well  
as receiving unwanted attention. It never crossed any of their minds that there was anything on the planet that could threaten or harm them.

Little did they know...

~BHS~

Bella wondered if the excitement and enthusiasm over the new twin Alpha pups would ever die down. There was a steady stream of visitors  
bearing gifts and food, thank Taha Aki, as soon as she and Jacob brought the boys home. Then when that slacked off, the Pack-full of uncles  
and aunt along with a substantial number of self-appointed godmothers and godfathers, not to mention actual grandfathers, began volunteering  
for duty for anything and everything at the Alpha's home. Chores were undertaken both inside and outside. The foundation for the addition  
was dug and built and concrete was poured. Leah, Emily and Kim took the pups for a visit to Grandpa Billy's house to avoid disturbing them  
with the construction noise. Bella actually had the chance to rest and regain some of her misplaced energy. Jacob took the opportunity to  
reconnect with his distracted mate and remind her how much he loved her and how beautiful and alluring he thought she was.

It was agreed that Will and Jay would have at least two sitters with them at all times. There was no shortage of warm bodies for them. The  
wolves found a soul-deep affection that bonded them to the boys immediately. The younger wolves, Brady and Collin, were a little intimidated  
by the strength of the little wails the babies could send up, but they shared their puppy-time with an older wolf as overseer.

It didn't take long for the babies to begin developing their own personalities, as individual as any other siblings. Will was laid back. Nothing  
seemed to ruffle his feathers, not even his brother's disagreeable habit of smacking him in the face with a baby fist. It didn't take too long for  
Will to learn how to block Jay's inadvertent tiny assaults with his own fist thrown up in a martial arts defense. Their father was thrilled to no  
end to see his sons sparring and learning in their crib. He started calling them his little Kung Fu fighters. Their mother was less pleased and  
wanted to acquire a second crib for safety's sake. This was voted down, 3 to 1. Jacob said absolutely not and when Bella tried to put a pillow  
between them in their double-size crib to separate the boys, the protest at not being able to see or touch each other was loud and long. Mom  
deferred to the masculine caucus in her home.

Jay was the rounder. He was most like his father in that respect. Will had Bella's calm nature, but Jay had the temper and short fuse of his  
Daddy. He was the instigator. When he was dissatisfied with the service of the establishment, he let it be known, and invariably, Will would  
follow his lead. Ironically, Will was the first born and therefore 2 minutes older. But he was happy to let Jay pick their battles.

Grandpas Charlie and Billy were trying to be available 24/7 and grumbled at having to timeshare with others. Bella and Jacob teased them  
pretty badly for pouting in a perfect imitation of their grandsons. One group that especially enjoyed keeping and playing with the babies was  
Clive, Maggie and Seth. Seth's relationship with his imprint was rolling along more smoothly than anyone had expected. The Pack wondered  
at Seth's anxious acceptance of a mate 10 years his senior. But Seth had done a lot of growing up lately, though involuntarily, and his maturity  
was obvious. What was also obvious was the adoration and respect he and Maggie had for each other. The bonus was Clive stepping in filling  
some of the emotional void left by the death of Harry Clearwater. Seth had admitted to Jacob that he really felt lonesome for Harry sometimes,  
even as Jacob admitted the same to Seth about Sarah Black. There were many absent parents among the La Push Pack and the love they all  
shared for each other was what held them together in tough times and easy ones.

Clive tapped on the front door of the Alpha cottage and smiled broadly when Jacob opened it holding Will in his arms. Clive immediately reached  
for the bundle in the blue blanket and nuzzled his nose into the center of it.

"Whoa, Jake! The little buggars have started packing on the pounds already, haven't they?"

Jacob chuckled warmly at the way Clive hefted the baby like he was guessing the weight on a prize piglet.

"They've each gained a couple or three pounds, Bubba. I told Bella it was her high calorie protein stuff."

Clive cringed and ducked his head.

"Damn, boy! Don't you know better than that? You're gonna be sleepin' on the couch till your 10th anniversary!"

Jacob smiled ruefully and rubbed the back of his head gingerly.

"Yeah, now I know. That damn couch is way too short, not to mention lumpy. At least it was only for part of the night. I got up to check on  
the boys and we met and made up over a protein shake."

Clive laughed heartily at the young Alpha's pun and gave him a grandfatherly pat on the back.

"Just try to think before you speak, and if you can't manage that, don't forget to duck."

"Duck what, Daddy?"

Maggie stepped through the door, Seth right behind her, grinning like a fool.

"If I know Jake, he's ducking Bella's right hook, or maybe her cast iron skillet. How 'bout it Alpha, is the new Momma being hell on wheels?"

"She's had her moments, Seth. And watch how loud you say that, don't forget Bells got some enhanced hearing and sight out of that transfusion  
of my blood."

"Oh shit, I forgot. Come on, Mags honey, let's get the bambinos and get out of here pronto, before I need medical attention from Mom."

"Oh please! Geezis, you're such a big chicken! Bella loves you too, she'd never inflict bodily harm on a brother."

Seth, Jacob and Clive exchanged knowing glances. They'd each had the chance to see and hear their Alpha female read the riot act to anyone  
who got out of line, or tread on the wrong toes, including her own father. As one, the three of them just stepped aside into the living room and  
allowed Maggie to pass unimpeded toward the stairs. Bella called down just at that moment.

"They're not lying to you Maggie! Come on up, I've just gotten Jay changed and dressed and their bag is packed."

Seth grabbed her hand as she passed by and spun Maggie around to steal a quick kiss before she got to the staircase.

"Is now a good time to say 'I told you so'? Just in case we don't meet again, I love you."

Maggie kissed him back, rolled her eyes and darted up the stairs two at a time. She was excited to get to spend some quality time with the  
tiny terrors.

Seth watched her till she disappeared down the hall.

"Damn, I love that woman! Clive, may I have your daughter's hand? I don't want to give her the chance to escape."

"Thought you'd never ask, boy. Good luck getting her to stand still long enough to hear the question. My blessing and permission is given."

Bella and Maggie came back downstairs soon, Maggie carrying Jay cradled on her shoulder. Seth stepped around behind her and snuck a  
quick kiss to his nose.

"Hey there puppy. You ready to hang out with Uncle Clive and Seth and Aunt Maggie?"

The tot did his best to lift his head and twinkled his eyes at his uncle and Pack brother. He waved his fists back and forth and jabbered out a  
greeting that only his brother could translate. Will was relaxing back on Clive's arm, gazing up at him, completely entranced with the white  
beard tantalizingly within his reach. Bella handed the diaper/travel bag to Seth and kissed one baby goodbye as Jacob kissed the other son.

"They've just been fed and changed so you should be good for 3 or 4 hours at least. There's formula, wipes, diapers and extra clothes in the  
bag. There's toys and accoutrements too. You guys have fun and behave yourselves for your Auntie and Unkas."

Jacob held the door as he and Seth gathered the carseats and followed Clive and Maggie out to the driveway. When the boys had been buckled  
in and their sitters loaded up, Bella and Jacob waved them goodbye from the front porch. When they were out of sight, the Alpha and his mate  
headed up the stairs hand in hand. They fell back into their bed with a kiss and a promise of future fooling around, just as soon as they got just  
a bit more shuteye.

~BHS~

The gang of teenage vampires stole a passenger van, drained the two people that had occupied it previously, and hit the highway headed west.  
Their decision to drive part of the journey was simply a random choice of insidious evil. If they stole the occasional vehicle, used any occupants  
and then later abandoned the vehicle, they wouldn't have to venture into any city centers to hunt and feed. They could find victims at truck stops  
and rest areas. They were all about easy, and speed wasn't a requirement. The wolves weren't going anywhere, and the gang coven had all the  
time in the world.


	45. Chapter 45

By His Side

Chapter Forty Five

Jacob Black was wiping grease off of his hands on a shop rag. He'd just finished his fifth oil change, second tire rotation  
and third brake job. He was on a roll. He had made it back to the garage he co-owned with Embry and Quil a month after  
his sons were born. He missed the boys and their mother terribly. He'd really gotten spoiled being home with them 24/7  
and he'd bonded with the twins and re-established his relationship with his wife in and out of the boudoir. When they weren't  
too exhausted, Bella and Jacob made the most of the scant hours that both babies were asleep. Will and Jay had not been  
as cooperative as their parents would have liked when it came to synchronizing their schedules of eating, sleeping, pooping  
and all those other 'ings' that babies have a duty to perform.

The guys had been glad to have Jake back at the shop. He was the best mechanic for miles around and more than a few  
customers had been vocal about wanting to know when the resident 'expert' would be returning. Embry walked into the bay  
where Jacob had just finished his latest task and leaned up against Jake's rolling tool chest.

"You're really makin' up for lost time bossman. You feelin' guilty about abandoning us in our time of need?"

Jake cocked an eyebrow at his partner and brother and gave him a shoulder shrug.

"Nah, no guilt trips here, bubba. I knew you guys had my back with the place. Just glad to be able to get back into the swing  
of things. You know, pullin' my own weight an' all."

"Well, whatever, we're glad you're back too. Kinda dull around here with just two of the musketeers, know what I mean?"

"Yeah, I know you and Quil just barely made it through each day without me here bein' the "glue" for the outfit."

"Oh ho! Yeah, right. Glue. Uh huh."

The two friends laughed and bumped fists before turning toward the office together. Quil was just pulling into the parking lot in  
the wrecker with a new job under tow. He gave a tap on his horn and Embry reached to flip a switch to open one of the bay doors.  
Jake raised his arm to wave Quil in when suddenly an invisible fist punched through his chest and squeezed his heart in a vise-like  
grip. Jake sucked in a strained gasp of air and sank to his knees, one hand clawing at his throat, the other grasping Embry's sleeve,  
tearing the fabric apart at the seams.

"JAKE! What is it, man? Jake! What's wrong bro?"

Embry reached his long, muscled arm around his brother's shoulders and lowered his body to the cement floor just as Quil threw  
the tow-truck into park and leaped out of the door at a dead run toward his friends.

"What happened, man? What's wrong with him?"

"I don't know, Q! He just grabbed his throat and went down! Jake! Jake! Quil, get him some water, quick!"

Quil sprinted off to the kitchen in the back of the office as Embry tried to make sure there was nothing blocking Jake's airway. As  
suddenly as the attack had hit him, it subsided, and Jacob stopped gasping and breathed in a full chest of air. A fine film of sweat had  
formed across his face and he was panting as if he'd been doing wind sprints on a football field. Quil skidded to a knee next to him and  
thrust a bottle of water into his hand, worry creasing around his eyes.

"Jake! What was that, dude? Are you alright?"

Jacob took a small swig of the water and shook his head trying to clear up the sparkles that were twinkling in front of his eyes.

"Yeah, I'm okay now, I think, but, Emb, run out back and phase. Get anybody who's awake over to the house. Something's up with  
Bella and the boys. And, can you smell that?"

"Smell what, Jake? Go on Emb, I got him."

"Vamps, Quil. You don't smell that?"

"No, man. I don't smell any leeches. Are you sure you're gonna be okay, Jake?"

"No, Quil, I'm not. Gimme a sec, I gotta see if I can reach Bells."

He closed his eyes and centered his thoughts on his imprint and mate.

'_Bella? Baby, can you hear me?'_

He was greeted with only silence.

'_**BELLS! ARE YOU THERE, HONEY? ANSWER ME, BABE!'**_

Nothing.

"That's it Quil. She's not with me. Lock this place down and get to my place as fast as you can. I'm gone."

"You got it, Jake."

He staggered to his feet. Quil steadied him for a moment and they exchanged a worried look. With a nod, Jake was out the back door of  
the garage and Quil set about battening down the building.

Phasing on the fly, Jacob stretched out his Alpha dragnet senses and searched for his wife's pull. She was there. Or at least the pull was there.  
But her voice was still conspicuously absent from his mind. She wasn't hurt. He could feel her essence and it was intact, whole. He sent a prayer  
of thanks to the Spirits when he realized he could also feel the additional thickness of her being, indicating that his sons were both with her. He  
understood, at that very moment, the debt he owed Charlie Swan for his brilliant suggestion of digging a root cellar style hideaway under the  
house and creating a panic room, stocked with every necessity and sheathed in steel and concrete. He could tell from the 'feel' of her that Bella  
and the babies were locked in that room. Coupled with the attack he'd had at the garage and the sugary-bleachy aroma only he could smell, that  
could only mean one thing. Vampires had gained access to the Reservation AND his home. And his property was about to become a killing field.

His mind suddenly filled up with 4 of his Pack brothers. Seth, Paul, Sam and Embry were all converging on their Alpha's home.

"_Jake! What's going on?"_

"_Not sure, Seth. I think it may be leeches at my place."_

"_Your place? Leeches? INSIDE the Rez? Jake! Maggie's there with Rachel and Emily! They're supposed to be going shopping with the boys!"_

"_Well, let's get there then. Bells and the boys are in the panic room. Surely the girls are in there with them."_

Sam and Paul stayed quiet. Neither of them wanted to distract their Alpha from possibly being able to sense their imprints. Embry wanted to phase  
back to human so he could call Katherine but he'd have to bide his time and contain his anxiety a little longer.

Less than three minutes from the moment the crippling terror zinged through his chest and his brain, Jacob and his brothers burst into the clearing  
behind his and Bella's house. Barely 20 seconds later, Katherine Call charged up the driveway in her truck slinging rocks and creating a dust cloud. She  
threw the vehicle into a side skid stop and launched herself out the door screaming at the wolves on the other side of the house.

"I felt them when they crossed the border! Young ones, but not newborns! Eight or nine of 'em! Headed North now!"

Jacob swung his head around in the direction Katherine indicated just in time to see a blurry flash of something sparkly speeding away into the woods.

_"Embry! Stay here with Kate and get the girls and the twins out of the cellar. Just stay in the house and be alert. We'll make quick work of this!"_

_"On it, Jake!"_

Embry phased on the run and jerked on his shorts just before he burst through the Alpha's back door. His wife burst through the front door a moment  
later and they ran into each other's embrace swerving around to the hall closet that concealed the panic room entrance. Embry tapped in the Pack  
code on a keypad on the back wall of the closet and the side wall silently slid up into the second floor wall right above it. Kate called out even as she  
was rocketing down the stairs.

"Bella! Maggie! It's Kate and Embry! You're clear for now. Come on out!"

Having seen the two enter the house on the closed circuit TV monitor, Bella slammed her hand onto the safety release button that popped the seal  
and opened the inner steel door at the foot of the stairs. Even as she and Maggie, each of them with a baby clutched to their chest, and Rachel and  
Emily moved up the stairs, Bella could hear her husband's unmistakable warning/battle howl resounding through the forest.

Bella passed the son she carried to Katherine and stormed past Embry and out of the closet. They all followed close behind her as she moved quickly  
to the living room sofa and flung herself down while drawing in deep settling breaths, trying to steady her nerves to access her Spirit Wolf.

Understanding exactly Bella's intentions, Rachel and Emily moved around the room closing blinds to soften the glaring light from outside. Embry had  
taken the other baby from Maggie and he and Kate headed upstairs to put the boys in their crib. As soon as she had relinquished the child she had  
carried up the cellar steps, Maggie faced the other two women.

"Rach, Em, I'm joining the hunt. Call my Gramps, will you? Stay put and everything will be fine, okay?"

They both nodded their assurances to her and their faith in her.

"Be careful, Mags. We'll be here for Bella."

Seth Clearwater's imprint and fiancé shoved her sweatpants down even as she kicked off her shoes and jerked her sweatshirt over her head. Dashing  
out the door, she didn't bother thinking of her lingerie as her hawk ripped through her bra and panties. With one forceful downstroke, she was airborne,  
winging her way toward the cacophony of howls in the forest. In less than a minute of flight, she had her Pack in sight on the ground and her grandfather  
was in her head.

"_Mags! I'm coming your way! What's going down?"_

"_You're not gonna believe this Papi! I was at Bella's with Em, Rach and the boys, we were going shopping. We were almost ready to leave when there  
was a knock at the front door. Bella opened it and there were 8, count 'em, 8 vampires on the front porch!"_

"_Holy shit, girl. Are you kidding me?"_

"_Not at all! They were just standing there, all smiles and sparkles and red eyes! I thought Bella was gonna faint and I like ta died!"_

"_Well, don't pause for dramatic effect, child. What happened?"_

"_You shoulda seen it, Papi. Bella was too cool. The vamps were all teenagers and were saying they were tourists and asking Bella about whether she had  
heard of a legend of a bunch of great big wolves in the area!"_

"_Nunh uh!"_

"_Yes! Bella said she had heard something about it but it was really up in Canada somewhere and they could head North and ask up that way. She was  
soooo casual, Pap. Wait a minute, I've caught up with the Pack, hang on."_

The huge hawk circled in the sky, skimming the treetops, watching and listening to the conversation rising from the group of vampires, now surrounded  
by several gigantic wolves.

"Didn't I tell you! Look at 'em! Tony, did you bring your camera? We gotta get this on tape!"

"I don't like this, Eddie. They're awfully big and look awfully pissed off."

"Yeah, Ed. Damn, look at those teeth! Look over there, Dave! There's 3 more!"

"Oh, man! I am lovin' this!"

"Hey, Eddie, look at that big red one. Something's wrong with him, man!"

"Hey, you're right, Sherry. He's got the shakes something fierce, doesn't he? And hey, check out over there! That's not a wolf! What is that?"

"And look up there!"

In a perfectly orchestrated bit of serendipity, Jacob phased back into a naked, six foot seven Native American, an eight foot tall black panther stalked  
out of the trees, and a hawk bigger than anything in the entire forest landed right beside the cluster of clueless 'undead' teens. Jacob held up his hand to  
signal Clive to be ready to roar and addressed the red-eyed group.

"You know you're trespassin' on Tribal land, dontcha?"

The females in the coven couldn't suppress their giggles at the calm and casual attitude of the big, naked man. The one that the others had referred to as  
'Eddie' stepped forward a bit and shot back a smart-ass question of his own.

"Why do you think we're trespassing? We're just hiking and sightseeing. You know, tourists? The sign said 'Welcome to La Push, Quileute Reservation',  
didn't say nothin' about no private property, asshole. Anyway, who the hell are you?"

Several of the wolves cast looks at each other that distinctly said, 'oh shit, he shouldna said that.' Jacob glanced over his shoulder with a smirk and an  
eye roll for his brothers.

"Who the hell am I? Well, I'll tell ya. I'm the Chief of this tribe. I'm the Alpha of this Wolfpack. And I'm the fuckin' owner of this property and that house  
you just visited. And I don't particularly care for leeches and I REALLY don't appreciate 'em bothering my mate. That little lady who answered the door?  
That's my wife, oh, and by the way, so's that."

Jacob indicated with a jerk of his head to a spot just behind the coven of 'tourists'. They turned as one and their mouths gaped open at the dark red wolf  
standing just at the perimeter of the trees. It was at least 20 feet tall, and the young vampires cowered together at the perceived threat.

"Now, now, don't squash up so close together. You're just gonna make it harder."

Eddie still had a little bravado left.

"Harder? For what?"

Jacob had to chuckle a bit. He'd waited a long time to say this line.

"For the Sylvester and Tweety Show."

He wiggled his index finger to direct their attention to Clive and Maggie. The vampires turned to regard the huge cat and bird of prey. The puzzled  
anticipation on their faces was just what he'd hoped to see. Clive leaned back on his hind legs, picking one massive front paw off the ground, making  
certain he had their undivided attention. The jungle roar he screamed out at them shook needles loose from the surrounding evergreens. The surprise  
in their widened, scarlet eyes and the mouths that had dropped open, topped the poses in which they were frozen. Jacob addressed the hawk as she  
was crouching to launch herself skyward.

"Just grab your first two, Maggie. The guys and I will tote the others to the warehouse parking lot so you won't have to make so many round trips, 'kay?"

The great bird screeched her approval of his plan and circled around to line up her swoop. Jacob lifted his hand to pat the shoulder of the big, black cat  
as it came to stand next to him.

"Thanks, Clive. Good timing, podnah."

The panther squinted at him with his big, green eyes and let out a snorting growl. Jacob snorted back.

"Yeah, I know. Ain't it always the way? Okay, boys, let's tidy up around here. Honey, I'll be home shortly. You still goin' shopping or has this been enough  
excitement for one day?"

The giant mahogany wolf stamped one of her front paws and huffed at him. He shook his head and smiled at her.

"Yeah, don't blame you, baby. See you in a bit."

The she-wolf shimmered out of sight and Jacob phased back to assist his brothers with the trash removal. The teenage vampire coven had made their  
last sightseeing tour.

Forks' Police Chief Charlie Swan finished typing his report later that evening. A vehicle reported stolen in Lansing, Michigan was found abandoned on  
the banks of a remote section of the Quileute River. Several local residents said they had seen the vehicle enter the Reservation earlier in the day.  
They reported that the occupants appeared to be a group of teenagers, maybe eight in number, all caucasian. Since the vehicle was found close to  
the river and no trace of the teenagers had been found, it was thought they may have attempted to swim in the river and had been unaware of the  
swift currents common in those waters. Communities downstream were alerted to be on the lookout for possible survivors or victims.

A/N: Thank you and many huggles to everyone who has read and reviewed, alerted and favorited this story. It's winding down and will probably  
be wrapped up early in 2013. Thanks to voters for the Fandom Choice Awards. My nomination still blows my mind. There's still time to check out  
the nominees and vote. There's a huge roster of terrific authors and riveting stories.


	46. Chapter 46

By His Side

Chapter Forty Six

The La Push defenders met back at their Alpha's home after eliminating the last evidence of the teenage vampire coven/gang. Paul  
and Sam strode toward Rachel and Emily and wrapped them up in warm, urgent embraces. Jacob stormed in the back door and  
launched himself to his knees by the sofa in the living room and Bella's side. He gently stroked his fingers through her hair while  
reaching around her body with his other hand. He kneeled closer to put his lips to her ear as he whispered to let her know he was  
there waiting for her.

"Bells? I'm here now, Honey. You back, Babe? Let me see those pretty eyes, woman."

Her lids closed tightly for a moment and Jacob could see her eyes roll back down underneath them just before they opened up to  
him. She blinked at him a time or two and gave him a big smile, reaching her arms up around his shoulders.

"Hey, you. How's my Alpha man?"

Jacob reached around her helping her to sit upright. He placed his head in her lap and extended his arms around her waist as she ran  
all of her fingers into his long hair and massaged and scratched his scalp. He drew in a deep, healing breath of her scent and he  
snuggled his face into her middle.

"Shit, Bells! I felt your first shock of fear! It shot right through me and knocked me down, baby! I've never felt anything like that before!"

"Sshhh. I'm sorry, Jake. It's okay, now. I guess I was so surprised, I just reached out for you. I didn't mean to hit you so hard with my  
call. Are you alright?"

Jacob lifted his head and kissed her knee before rubbing his chest with one hand.

"Yeah, honey. Just a little tender sore I guess. I was just worried about you and the boys, it was so out of the blue."

"So was the vampire tour group visit!"

Bella gave a small, rueful laugh.

"It sure would be nice if we could figure a way to put up an 'Out Of Business' sign for the Pack with the supernatural world, wouldn't it?"

Jacob returned a wry smile to his wife.

"It would at that. Hey, I wanna see my boys. Let's go check on our babies, Bells."

He stood and pulled her up with his hands and they made their way through the crowded downstairs before climbing up to relieve  
Embry and Katherine of their charges.

Seth was staring at the floor in the kitchen deep in thought when he suddenly lifted his head and turned to his imprint.

"Well, I'm gonna head on out, come with me, Maggie, 'kay?"

He took her hand and they led the mass exodus from the house, everyone animatedly discussing the surprise 'non-attack' by the  
teenage bloodsuckers and how totally and awesomely overmatched they were. The hawk girl tugged on her fella's hand to pull them  
back from the rest of the group.

"What have you got rolling around in that devious mind of yours? I can smell the fumes from the machinery from here."

Seth grinned at her. His lady already knew him very well. It was as if they had known each other and been best friends for years. He  
was still astonished every day at her capacity for understanding and seeing right through him.

"I found something in the Tribal Archives the other day I want to show you. Come with me."

With his arm around her shoulder and hers around his waist, they headed off to do a little research, with the intention of a little imprint  
maintenance, otherwise known as romance, later on. Seth wrinkled his nose a bit at the faint scent of leech clinging to Maggie's ankles  
and feet. Vamp disposal was a dirty business, but somebody had to do it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~BHS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Later that evening...

Seth held Maggie's hand and led her through the Tribal Council's Meeting Hall. They passed into a hallway at the back of the main room  
and followed it to its end, where they faced a non-descript, heavy wooden door. The molded surface of the door held a great deal of dust  
in its crevices, but Maggie could see that the tarnished brass knob was wiped clean. She also noticed a large handprint smeared into the  
dust in the middle of the door. She understood as she watched her young boyfriend jiggle and turn the knob with one hand while shoving  
the stuck door with the other, placed exactly in his original print. The hinges groaned as Seth manhandled the thick, old door, scuffing it  
back across the floor of the opening.

The space beyond was dark and Maggie hesitated, pulling back on Seth's hand. He grinned at her with a reassuring glint in his eyes and  
reached inside, turning an ancient light switch and illuminating a room full of dark stained, wooden bookcases, filled to overflowing with  
huge tomes, charts, parchment scrolls and smaller, leather-bound books that resembled old-fashioned journals. An antique library lamp  
sat on a large table surrounded by several rather uncomfortable-looking chairs. Maggie took in the area and gave an involuntary shudder.

"Geezis, this place is positively creepy. Why doesn't somebody clean this up? I'm half expecting to walk through a curtain of cobwebs and  
start hearing low organ music or something."

"Don't worry, babe. Just a lot of dust in here. No cobs or musical instruments. I promise. But, I was snooping around a few weeks back  
and found this."

He flipped on the lamp that sat on the table. Maggie looked stunned that it worked at all.

"All I had to do was replace the bulb. How 'bout that?'

"Yeah, lovely."

"Oh come on, check this out though."

There was a book lying on the table under the glare of the harsh lamplight. It was obviously incredibly ancient and animal skin-bound,  
looking something like an old family bible. Seth smoothed his fingers across the cover pointing out the letters scratched into the leather.

**_'TAHA AKI'_**

"This is the Father of our Tribe. This dates back about 400 years, I think. There are no dates in the journal, but the legends all point to  
around the beginning of the 17th century. We think the Quileute were some of the first inhabitants of the Pacific Northwest, at least the  
first ones that recorded any of their history in any way other than traditional, handed-down, oral stories. This is one of the oldest records  
of a written version of our original language."

Maggie was stunned speechless.

"I know, we all used to think that all of our histories were orally preserved and passed on. About a hundred years ago, one of the elders,  
a member of the first Wolf Pack, stumbled up on a cave not far from Second Beach. He was in wolf form but stayed that way for safety's  
sake while he explored the cave. The cave appeared to have been started by Mother Nature, but finished by human hands. Or maybe human  
hands. It was very deep, back into a mountainside, and all the way back the ceiling and walls were big enough for him to walk easily as an  
eight foot tall wolf. The cave was meant to be accessible by wolves."

Maggie had settled into the chair next to Seth and had her chin propped in one hand while the other hand gripped his arm securely, tightening  
as his tale grew more mysterious.

"When he finally made it to the very end of the cave, there was a flattened back wall filled with carved out cubby holes. There must have been  
a hundred of 'em and each one had some of these documents in it. The front of each cubby was covered over with something that sealed it up,  
kind of like wax I guess, and the stuff in the holes was perfectly preserved and dry. The wolf pawed open one of the cubbies and all these books  
and scrolls were stuck in there. He phased to his human form and gathered some of his treasure in his arms and hiked on foot back to the center  
of the settlement. Eventually, several tribesmen went to the cave and recovered all the materials from the cave. The biggest parchment they  
found was nearly 20 feet long and something like 4 feet tall. It was a work of art really. It had pictures of male and female natives' faces with their  
mouths forming each of the sounds of their language with a written representation of the sound beside each face. Several other scrolls were like a  
dictionary with pictures of things, animals, plants, man-made things like buildings, pots, clothing, all with the written word next to them."

Maggie was mesmerized with Seth's story.

"How do you know so many details about this language stuff? Are they teaching this at the Tribal School?"

Seth chuckled wryly.

"No, I wish. I've been taking online courses in linguistics and ancient tribal language translation. This stuff fascinates me, I'm addicted to it."

"I had a suspicion I had only scratched your surface, Seth. I knew you were smarter than the average bear as soon as we met."

"I bet you say that to all the wolves."

"No, only the ridiculously handsome ones who steal my heart."

Seth leaned in to steal a corresponding kiss before Maggie tapped her finger to the book in front of them.

"Mmmm, nice, more later please, but now tell me about this particular book."

"Damn! Foiled again! Alright, alright. This is sort of a journal written by Taha Aki."

"Sort of?"

"Yeah, it's kinda strange, it has entries like you'd see in a diary that record happenings and incidents with time frames, like how many moons went  
by and stuff, but a lot of it is his recollections of what he saw and learned during his Spirit Walks. He describes what his visions looked like and writes  
about sounds and voices he heard."

Maggie was getting amused with how excited Seth's face and mood grew as he got deeper into his account of his research.

"Anyway, here's the specific passage I wanted to tell you about. He writes about being in the middle of a Vision Quest, traveling great distances in  
the form of his Spirit Warrior, and being snatched out of the sky by a goddess who told him she was a seer. She gave him a whole long list of prophecies  
about his people and their descendants. She even prophesied the Great Flood and told him where to hide the Tribe's historical records so they'd be safe.  
That seer goddess instructed him to carve out that cave, Mags! She told him the cave had to be enlarged to be big enough for his physical wolf form and  
how the holes needed to be sealed up to protect the stuff stored in them. One of the prophecies was called The Last Journey. The seer told him that one  
day in the future, there would be a really big Pack and that every wolf would find their imprint."

"Didn't Old Quil and Billy both say that imprints were rare?"

"That's where there was a bit of a mistranslation way back when. When the histories said 'imprints are rare' I think they were saying it like,  
'imprints are a rare and precious gift', see the difference?"

"Yeah, that changes everything doesn't it?"

"Yep, it does. Anyway, the seer said that the Alpha of this big future Pack would have an imprint who would become his mate and who had special  
powers within her Spirit."

"Wait a minute! Bella? The goddess was talking about Bella's Spirit Wolf?"

"I don't know. Maybe. But, here's the best part. The Alpha's mate's Spirit is prophesied to walk the edges of our lands three times and build a shield  
that will protect the Tribe from 'unnatural creatures' forever."

Seth let that hang in the air and sink in for a moment. Maggie's eyes stayed locked with his, and then began to widen in shocked realization.

"That means...?"

"If Bella's Spirit Wolf walks around our territory's entire perimeter three times, no vampires or other threats can enter or harm the inhabitants!"

"Do ya think it really...?"

"When Bella said she wished we could put up a 'closed for business' sign? Basically, if this is the correct interpretation and translation, she can!  
And then there's Bella's shield that kept vampires with special gifts from reading her mind or causing her to think she was in pain. They couldn't  
get through to harm her. That's one reason the bloodsuckers wanted her so badly."

"Seth, you're a genius! You should tell Jake and Bella about this right away!"

"Do you think so? I wanted to get a second opinion first. Well, I wanted to get YOUR opinion. I respect your thoughts, Mags."

"Absolutely! I think we should take this journal to them right now! Does anybody else know about this room, this library?"

"Sure, practically all of the Pack and their imprints and families and the Elders know about it, but hardly anyone is as nuts about digging into this  
stuff as me. I think Katherine may have looked at some of the parchment scrolls, and Bella too, but mainly cause they liked history in school. I've  
been wallowing in the language that's in here."

Seth's enthusiasm was totally infectious and Maggie was caught up in it with him. It was yet another aspect of their relationship where common  
ground and interests were drawing them closer together. Maggie scooted back her chair and unwrapped a wide scarf she was wearing around her  
shoulders. She spread it out on the table and motioned for Seth to place the journal on the soft material. She gently wrapped Seth's treasure and  
presented it to him to carry to his Alpha pair. Seth rose to his feet clasping the package to his chest with one arm while reaching to pull Maggie to  
his side with the other. He placed a lingering, passionate kiss to her lips and, pulling away slowly, led the way back to the fresh, salty air of their  
woodland home.

Perhaps, the prophecy given to Taha Aki by the seer goddess could lead the La Push Wolf Pack to a safe and peaceful future where the Tribe could  
grow and prosper without the constant threat of danger from the supernatural realms. Marguerite and Seth rapidly closed the distance toward Bella  
and Jacob's home. They hoped the couple wouldn't mind the late visit. Perhaps the babies were already bedded down for the night and they could  
promise to be quiet.

A/N: I hope everyone's holidays are moving along safely and happily. Thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed, favorited and alerted  
this story. It thrills me to pieces that you are enjoying it.


	47. Chapter 47

By His Side

Chapter Forty Seven

The downstairs of Bella and Jacob's home was a bit crowded. It looked something like a Bible study group or a Junior League  
envelope-stuffing soiree. Every available seat was occupied. There was a circle of people around the coffee table, sitting on the  
floor with their work spread out on the low surface. The kitchen table was expanded to its full length and had been divided in  
half. People were using one side of it for their reading materials and the other side was laden with food. The kitchen countertops  
were also completely consumed with dishes of snacks and various drink options. These provisions were necessary of course.  
Some of the crowd were regular humans, some of those were babies, but nearly half of them were wolves, or some other type  
of shapeshifter with a ridiculously huge appetite.

The most unusual aspect about this gathering was not the nature of some of the attendees and their supernatural abilities. No,  
the crux and major focus was the reading material that virtually every person had laid out in front of them. All heads were buried  
in one type or another of journals, scrolls or parchments. There were a few of the group who could read and translate the original  
language of the Quileute Tribe. Those people had more volumes to comb through because more of the contents of the library at  
the Council Hall were in that ancient script. There were a few in modern Quileute and some in American English. It was the intention  
of the Pack and their imprints and families that every word in that library would be read and researched. They needed answers and  
this was their one and only resource.

Every few minutes, someone would raise their head and ask a question out loud. A moment of silence would follow and if no answer  
was forthcoming, all heads would bow back down to search for an appropriate response. Sometimes deep discussions would blossom,  
die down, and rise up again. Jacob had said that Bella, Seth and Marguerite needed every entry cross-referenced and catalogued.  
This gathering had been hastily thrown together the weekend following Seth and Maggie's visit to show Bella and Jacob Taha Aki's  
journal. So far, seven additional references to the Quileute Chief's visit from, or abduction by the goddess had been found. Slowly  
but surely, they were building up a cohesive picture of exactly what the prophecy stated should, and more importantly, would happen.

Seth and Jacob had their heads together scanning a map of La Push and the surrounding territories. The Pack had been charting the  
boundaries as they patrolled. Now that there were no Cullens living in the area, and the treaty had essentially been made unnecessary,  
the coverage of the Pack patrols had widened quite a bit. Most of the County and a large percentage of the National Forest and Wildlife  
Reserve were being included under their protection. The wolves had carefully pushed the boundaries out to allow a continuous path of  
the entire perimeter that did not pass through any populated area. Jacob straightened and stretched his back, rolling his shoulders and  
rubbing his sore neck.

"Okay everybody, gather round for a minute. I think Seth and I have the boundary finished. All of you need to check the map and see  
if anything's been missed. There needs to be an uninterrupted trail at least 50 yards wide, preferably heavily wooded area. Paul, you  
and Leah and Danny will head out to do a physical check after we've confirmed the path here on paper. We're gonna back off and let  
everyone take a gander at this. If you see any problem, speak up, okay?"

In multiple small groups, each guest perused the map that was smoothed out on the end of the kitchen table. At one point Jared reached  
out to pick up a grease pencil and make an outward swoop in the line Jacob and Seth had drawn.

"There's a new clearing right in here. Somebody's digging in the dirt. I think it's gonna be a new mini-storage place. We'll have to swing  
around behind it."

Seth nodded in agreement.

"You're right Jare. I remember seeing the backhoe out there last week. This is exactly what we need all of you to look for. With every pair  
of eyes checking, there's less chance of us missing something. We can't have a parade of wolves prancing in formation and stumbling into  
a Quik Mart parking lot can we?"

There was a relieved, tension-breaking burst of laughter that rippled through the group. They had all been working hard and non-stop on  
this. They HAD to get this right. Their future and the future of their families and the Tribe itself was at stake. This was their chance to really  
do their duty to the best of their ability, once and for all. If the prophecy was correct and they carried out the procedure to the letter, the  
land and all of its inhabitants would be safe, forever. It was THAT important.

An hour later, Paul, Leah and Daniel had set out to run a first check of the mapped trail. Before the actual attempt was made to fulfill the  
destiny of the Pack, each wolf and most of the imprints would walk, ride or run this trail. Through the research they had determined that  
the Alpha's mate must access her Spirit Warrior and lead the remaining Protectors on a kind of mass march around their territory three  
times. They must all complete the journey for the prophecy to be enacted. Bella was anxious to settle the preparations and get this done.  
She, perhaps more than anyone, wanted to block out supernatural predators in the area for good. So many lives had been lost or at the  
very least permanently altered by supernatural interference and Bella was nervous and antsy to use her abilities to contribute to solidifying  
their future safety. She and Jacob cuddled up on the sofa with their babies when the house had emptied and quieted down.

"Ahh, Bells, I'm whupped, aren't you?"

"Yeah, I'm pretty much running on empty."

"But these boys are up and at 'em. Look at these bright eyes."

Mom and Dad each had a baby in their lap. Jay was gazing up at his father while tightly gripping a big index finger in each little fist. As  
Jacob would relax a hand, his son would attempt to put the end of said index finger in his mouth. Just about the time he was ready to  
latch onto it, Daddy would pull it back and the baby was effectively doing pull-ups in his father's lap. The child was mesmerized by the  
activity and so was the parent. Bella was exercising Will as well. She had her hands on the bottoms of her son's feet and was pushing  
down and letting him push back up against her. They had discovered that this workout, conducted nightly nowadays, would wear out the  
boys just enough to get them to sleep for a few hours. The baby-aerobics class invariably led to a serious aerobic make-out session for  
Mom and Dad. It was a routine that was a win-win for the entire Black family.

"I think I see some little biceps over there Little Jay. You're going to be big and strong like Daddy any day now."

"Will, I think Mommy's gonna have your thigh muscles built up to start those Martial Arts classes soon."

Jacob and Bella looked at each other for a moment before bursting out in laughter. Jacob gasped out while wiping his eyes.

"Oh, Bells Honey, did you ever think we'd be talkin' baby talk as our own personal brand of foreplay?"

Bella leaned over to wipe her own tears on his sleeve.

"No, I did not. But I'll tell ya, Jake Baby, you do that goo goo stuff soooo sexy. I don't know how much longer I can wait to deposit these  
piglets in their crib and have my naughty way with their Daddy."

Suddenly, Jacob was stone cold serious and his eyes darkened at her as his nostrils flared with a deep intake of her scent. Without another  
word, they each scooped up their 'lap-dancer' and moved rapidly up the stairs toward the nursery. In minutes, diapers were changed, jammies  
were donned, a musical mobile was wound up and released and the night-light was clicked on. Each baby was cuddled, hugged and kissed  
warmly. The love their parents held for the boys was as boundless as the love Mom and Dad held for each other. Once the babes were snuggled  
up together under their blankie, Jacob scooped Bella into his arms and moved across the hall to their room. Still holding her close to his heart,  
he walked on his knees up the mattress and placed her gently in the center, stretching out beside her and cupping her face in one big hand.  
The kiss was warm, soft, slow and sweet. Bella slid her fingers into his hair, pulled slightly and when Jacob lifted his head to take in the beauty  
of the love of his life, he felt like his heart would swell to bursting.

"My Bells..."

That was all he had to say.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~BHS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Three weeks after Seth had taken Maggie to the Council Hall library and shown her Taha Aki's journal, the Pack and the imprints were ready for  
a trial run. The group was gathered on Second Beach to coordinate and begin their journey. Jacob addressed his brothers, his sister and other  
Pack family.

"Okay, folks, now I know everyone's not here. That's okay, this is just a test run to finalize the check on the path. When we do this for real all the  
wolves and all the imprints will be included. The prophecy said it has to be all the Protectors and all of their families. That includes children. Emily  
and Kim, you've got all the baby supplies and papoose carriers arranged, right?"

"We do. Wolves will carry supply bags as well as snack and water caches, and the moms will carry the babies. Each mom and baby will be beside  
or on a wolf for the duration of the walk. Katherine and Maggie will be toting your little ones."

"Good deal. Paul, you and Brady have the line-up determined?"

"Yeah, Chief. Brady's got copies for each family. You and Sam will be in front, Bella in the middle flanking everybody and Seth and I will be bringing  
up the rear. Each imprint or wife that's carrying a child will be surrounded by at least two wolves. Rachel and I walked the trail yesterday and timed  
it. If everyone's well-fed and got a good nap before, we should be all set for finishing up in less than a day."

"Alright. You all heard that. Get a good night's sleep on Friday. If anyone needs help, don't worry, wolf-back transportation will take precedence. We  
really don't expect you to walk the entire distance. That's not in the prophecy and we only need you to be with us, not suffer physically. The best you  
can do for us is be there with the love and support you've always shown all of us anyway."

Leah reached over and touched Jacob on the shoulder.

"Are you gonna be okay by yourself, boss? And who's watching Momma?"

Jacob looked down at his feet for a moment. He wasn't happy that Bella wouldn't actually be on the walk with them. But the only way her Spirit Warrior  
could make the journey and have her accompany them physically would be if they carried her body on a stretcher or litter of some sort. She had flatly  
refused to make someone carry her on the day-long trip.

"Yeah, I guess, Leah. Thanks for worrying about me. I won't be having much fun but she'll be safe. Charlie and my Dad and your Mom are all gonna  
be at the house with her. She's on her way here now to make this test run with us. She claims just for the hell of it, but I think she's feeling a little  
left out. Don't know why, she'll still be here next Saturday."

"Well, maybe. That big, honkin' dark red wolf will be with us ..."

"But it just won't be the same." Bella finished for Leah as she slipped up behind her husband and wrapped her arms around his waist, hugging him  
tightly, placing a kiss between his shoulder blades. He turned in her embrace and grabbed her up in a warm, bear hug, kissing her silly right there  
in front of God and everybody. When some of the audience began to clear their throats a little later, he finally set her back on her feet.

"Just who I needed to see. Hey, Honey."

"Hey, Baby. We ready?"

"Ready when you give the word."

"Well, let's get on it then."

And with that, Sam started a stopwatch and slipped it into his wife Emily's jacket pocket. The group moved along the shore until they reached the  
first part of the deep forest beyond the edge of the rocks lining the beach. The wolves and the panther each stripped, handing their clothes to various  
imprints carrying backpacks, and then phased. Each wolf that had a human imprint went down on their belly and the girls mounted up. The effect was  
reminiscent of a horseback trail ride, maybe a cattle drive. The wolves would walk at nearly a human stride to try for a close estimate of the time that  
would be required. The speed that the wolves could make would cover the ground quickly and efficiently, but the children who would be with them when  
they performed the real thing would need a more relaxed pace.

The lineup would be impressive to say the least. Too bad no one would be around to record the parade on film for posterity. Secrecy still needed  
to be maintained.

Sam and Jacob, the big black former Alpha and the big russet present Alpha, led the procession. Emily and Bella rode proudly on their husband's backs,  
smiling at each other and once reaching out hands to squeeze in camaraderie. Next came Jared with Kim up and Collin on his own. The two youngest  
wolves had neither one imprinted yet so would be available water, food and supply carriers. Other carriers came next. Clive, Leah and Daniel took their  
places as 'pack mules' as Clive had put it. Next was Embry with Katherine aboard and Quil with Claire on his back. Quil's young imprint found the whole  
affair great fun and could hardly contain herself. She was the only child accompanying them today and though she was only 5; her parents had relented  
because of Emily's presence. Brady walked behind them, another 'pack mule'. The last row of the two by two was Paul with Rachel up and Seth with  
Marguerite in human form on his back. Walking is not a natural thing for a hawk to do and it was thought that flying might not fulfill the prophecy properly.  
Taha Aki and his goddess had not included instructions if a Protector was not four-legged and the Pack all agreed they shouldn't risk making a mistake.  
Plans had been made for Maggie to fly a circuit of the trail before they began just to check the area to see that all was clear.

The final aspect of the attempt they were making would be in place on Sunday when they finished their march. The Cullens had been invited to visit the  
area to help the La Push Wolfpack test whether or not their effort was successful. They would meet the group in the mountains and try to enter the Pack's  
territory through the invisible boundary promised by the seer. If they were stopped, the future of the Pack, their families and the Tribe would be changed  
forever.


	48. Chapter 48

By His Side

Chapter Forty Eight

Bella and Jacob Black were submersed in blissful slumber. The Alpha and his mate were spooned up against each other, snuggled  
tightly, his arms wrapped securely around her, her hands clasping his wrists. The night was quiet, chilly but the couple was warm  
and safe, resting peacefully with their infant sons in a crib by the bed. The babies were sound asleep as well, tucked in side by side  
with soft blankets surrounding them. Each child had a hand cuddled in the grip of his brother. Their little rosy lips puckered and  
wiggled in a dream of Momma's luscious nourishment. The scene was pure harmony, until you looked more closely at Jacob's eyelids.  
They jumped, twitching with the jerky movements of his eyes protected underneath. Daddy was dreaming too, but it seemed it may  
not be quite as pleasant as his sons' nocturnal musings.

Jacob was cold. He didn't know how to behave in this circumstance. It had been so long since he had actually felt cold; he couldn't  
remember that time in his life. He didn't know where he was either. He was surrounded with a thick, damp mist, preventing him from  
seeing anything around him. He was standing stone still, listening for any clues that would tell him where he was. He hesitated to take  
a step in any direction, unsure of the surface upon which he stood. He shook his head in irritation at this inability to figure out his situation,  
and was surprised when long, shoulder-length hair swung down into his face. He lifted his hands to push it aside, tucking it behind his ears  
and running his fingers to the ends, amazed at the distance. This had to be a dream. Couldn't see anything, couldn't hear anything, afraid  
to move, long hair that hadn't been that way for some years now. He shivered at the chilly drops of moisture that ran down his bare chest  
and arms. His thoughts coalesced into one firm question.

"_Where the hell am I?" _

"_Nowhere."_

"_What the hell does that mean? Who are you?"_

"_Someone you know."_

"_Okay, enough with the cryptic. Show yourself!"_

And the voice instantly complied. Jacob jerked backward when a man appeared directly in front of him, mere inches away, a sly smirk on  
his face. The man reminded Jacob of his father, but not quite. He was younger than Billy, maybe in his early 30s. He was taller, too, as tall  
as Jacob. His shoulders were broad but his waist and hips were slim, narrow. His hair was shiny, brilliantly black and hung straight as a  
board halfway to his elbows. His eyes glittered like obsidian and seemed to emit a wisdom that spoke of eons of life experience. As if his  
physical appearance weren't imposing enough, the man was draped in animal fur, hanging from his shoulders in wide strips, fluffy and silvery  
white. It made him look like a giant Arctic fox. Jacob looked the stranger up and down and scoffed a little laugh.

"_At least one of us dressed appropriately for the conditions. Who are you anyway? Where are we?"_

"_Would you like to guess? Or would you prefer I just tell you?"_

"_Okay, I'll play along and guess. Nothing to lose I suppose. Taha Aki?"_

"_Hah! No. Strike one. But thank you for the compliment. You honor me."_

"_You're welcome, I think. Hmm, not Taha Aki. I know, you're Ephraim, my great-grandfather!"_

"_Strike two, but thank you again."_

"_How many strikes do I get?"_

"_I don't know. The traditional three?"_

"_What happens if I'm wrong again?"_

"_You still won't know who I am?"_

"_Funny. Okay, let's see if I can be more creative. You're me in about 15 years."_

"_Damn!"_

"_I'm right, aren't I?"_

"_Nope."_

"_What?"_

"_Sorry. That's three."_

"_Well?"_

"_Well what?"_

"_I give. Who are you?"_

"_Sure you don't wanna guess any more?"_

"_I'm sure."_

"_Like I said, you know me."_

"_I know a lot of people. You're not helping."_

"_I'm trying to help. You already blew two of your guesses on people you DON'T know, just that you've heard of."_

"_Hmm, you're right. Why don't you just give in and tell me and before you ask, yes I'm sure."_

"_Name's William. You can call me Will."_

"_Wait. Will? Like my son?"_

"_Man,...you're good."_

"_Will? This is you all grown up?"_

"_Hey, Dad."_

"_Damn!"_

"_Yeah. A trip ain't it?"_

"_You grew up big. I bet your Mom's proud."_

"_She is. You both are. You're still around too."_

"_Aw, I'm glad. What about your brother?"_

"_Which one?"_

"_Which...why Jay of course. Oh wait, you mean there's more now, right?"_

"_Yep. You and Mom...um...got busy? There's 7 of us altogether. And Jay's fine by the way."_

"_Seven! Holy...does your Mom still speak to me?" _

"_Yeah. Don't worry Dad. Most of us were her idea first. You guys are still good, real good."_

"_Whew! Glad to know that. So, okay, you've come back in time to talk to me. Is this about today's march?"_

"_Yes Sir, it is."_

"_Wow, why so formal all of a sudden?"_

"_Today's a really special day. You became the ultimate leader of our Tribe today. I've come back to honor you beforehand,  
but to give you a little help too. You told me years later that I came to you in a dream before the march, so here I am. I'm  
proud to be your son, and I'm proud to be here with you, Father."_

"_Easy, son. You're starting to make me feel old."_

"_Sorry. You're definitely not old. Not even in my time."_

"_I continue to phase?"_

"_Sure do. You and Mom both stopped aging. You both look around 25 to all of us."_

"_Doesn't that make for some awkward moments out in public?"_

"_Not really. The whole Tribe knows everything now. It's kept quiet amongst our people, but we don't have to skulk around  
behind the trees anymore. You and Mom keep close to home anyway, so folks outside the Rez haven't really noticed anything  
unusual."_

"_What about you and our other children? You look older than 25."_

"_Yeah, about that...I never phased. Neither did Jay or any of your children."_

"_None of you? That's amazing! How come?"_

"_Didn't need to I guess. You're not the only member of your Pack that continued to phase. Uncle Paul and Uncle Embry and  
Uncle Seth are all still wolfy these days. Everyone else decided to stop after a few years, for various reasons."_

"_So, there's four of us left?"_

"_Yeah. You all still patrol together once in a while. I think it's a little like a guys' poker night really."_

"_That sounds highly likely. Wow, I can't get over all the changes."_

"_There've been plenty. Hey, I need to tell you what I'm supposed to tell you, before my time runs out."_

"_There's a time limit?"_

"_Yeah, you'll be waking up soon."_

"_Oh, yeah. Okay, what's the word?"_

"_Today isn't going to be easy."_

"_Like how? What do you mean, son.?"_

"_It won't be a simple walk in the park. You'll be tested. Severely. You'll need to be prepared to protect the children and humans  
who'll be with you. And you might want to pack some severe weather gear."_

"_Severe weather? It's late summer! You know, lazy warm days, balmy nights?"_

"_Maybe so, but this isn't any ordinary day. Just take a little extra precaution, okay?"_

"_Oh, I get it now. You're bundled up in fur and I'm standing here shivering, wet and half naked."_

"_Nothing gets by you, does it Dad?"_

"_Did Bells and I really raise such a smart aleck?"_

"_I'm YOUR son. It was kind of inevitable."_

"_Okay, okay. Point taken. I'm proud to see the fine man you've grown into Will."_

"_Thanks, Dad. We're all proud to be the children of The Great Alpha Pair."_

"_The Great Alpha Pair?"_

"_Just an honorary title folks gave y'all a while back. It really tickled Mom."_

"_Well, I guess that's okay then."_

"_Yeah. So this is goodbye, then. Good luck today. Tell Mom we love her."  
_

"Jacob! Wake up babe! It's time to get going. Lots to do before we begin the march."

Jacob reached out and pulled Bella back into the bed, wrapping her up in a warm and passionate embrace. He pressed his lips to hers  
and smiled to himself as he remembered what his son had told him in his dream. He lifted his head and looked into her shining brown  
eyes. He cradled her cheek in his palm as she looked up at him with a questioning expression.

"I love you, Bells."

"I love you, too, Jacob."

He kissed her again and then glanced over at the crib sitting next to their bed.

"Will and Jay love you, too."

"And I love them, baby. What's up with you this morning?"

"I had a crazy and terrific dream. Let me tell you about it."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~BHS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Two hours later, the La Push Wolf Pack and their complete entourage of mates and children were gathered in the early morning mist on  
Second Beach. The dawn's light was gray and filtered through rolling fog banks. The surf was calm at the moment but the atmosphere  
seemed electric and ominous. Jacob tilted his head back and sniffed the air. He felt an involuntary shudder move through his shoulders  
and shook his head as he directed his attention back to securing the extra gear he'd insisted on bringing with them. Clive stood in front  
of him, already in his panther form, adjusting his muscles to the small jerks Jacob was making on the straps of his pack.

Nobody quite understood why Jacob decided they needed the tarps, tents, blankets and foul-weather wear. It was August for Pete's sake.  
The days started out like this, foggy and damp, but that soon burned off and the temps climbed up into a pleasant summer warmth that  
gave way to warm nights with light breezes. But they all knew Jacob. When he'd made up his mind, that was that. Perhaps he had his  
reasons that he'd share later. In any case, he had taken the responsibility himself to gather the additional supplies and pack them up.  
There was plenty of 'pack mule' space so, the extra gear came along.

Everything was soon secured and the group was ready to begin their journey. The rest of the shifters in the Pack stripped, gave their  
clothes to an imprint to pack away, and phased into an impressive group of 10 huge wolves. They were a sight to behold and their mates  
just stood back to admire them for a minute. Emily, Kim and Rachel exchanged glances, pride rolling off of their drawn back shoulders.

A few moments later, a huge red-tailed hawk, who had been circling the Reservation for the last hour, landed next to the cluster of wolves.  
A sandy-colored wolf strolled over next to her and shielded her from view as she phased back to his lovely fiancé and began to pull on her  
sweats, t-shirt and sneakers. Maggie wrapped her arms around Seth's thick neck-ruff and gave him a sloppy kiss right on the nose. He chuffed  
at her and swiped his paw across his snout before giving her a wet lick up her cheek. Cleaning off her cheek with her sleeve, Maggie turned  
to Jacob's russet wolf.

"Everything's clear and quiet, Chief. Our path is wide open."

The Alpha nodded and turned to yip at Katherine standing next to the gray and white wolf she called her husband. She pulled gently on  
Embry's ear as she turned to address Jacob.

"I haven't sensed anything at all. The morning's been as empty as ever. As far as the supernatural world goes, we seem to be the only Spirits  
out and about today. I talked to Carlisle before we left the house. They will meet us at the designated point just after we complete our third  
circuit."

The big wolf nodded to her and cast a glance around the rest of his Pack. Each wolf that had a significant other, who wasn't also a wolf,  
dropped to his belly. They paired up for their journey. Rachel situated herself on Paul, wrapping her arms around the pouch holding their  
son Micah. Katherine climbed aboard Embry and double-checked little Jay in his carrier on her chest. Maggie cuddled Will on her own chest  
as he settled into his little pouch, and Seth rose to his feet underneath her. Kim nestled her son Christopher between her legs and snugged  
up behind Jared's shoulder blades. Emily settled into position on Sam's back, cuddling their daughter, Melissa. Claire giggled excitedly as  
Quil stood to his feet. She held on tightly to the fur beside the harness that secured her to his back. Each wolf was similarly equipped with  
a safety harness for their riders and for the gear that some of them carried.

Leah, Daniel, Brady, Collin, Clive and Jacob were all laden with supplies. They had planned for any and every eventuality. There was food  
aplenty, water, baby needs including diapers, bottles with warmers and lots of wet wipes. There were additional changes of clothing for  
everyone, the foul weather gear Jacob had insisted upon, and a first aid kit to rival any paramedic rig. There was also a collection of cell  
phones, hidden throughout the various packs, fully charged and ready for any emergency that could not be handled without outside help.

The Alpha wolf had stood after Emily, Kim and Rachel had helped straighten and secure his harness. He walked through the ranks of his  
Pack family carefully checking each one's rider or load, taking the opportunity to enjoy a sniff of each baby or child, especially his two sons.  
When he got to the back of the group and stood next to Paul and Rachel, they all turned and looked toward the edge of the forest. A huge  
mahogany-furred she-wolf emerged from the tree line and moved toward the collected travelers. When she neared the russet wolf he moved  
forward to meet her and they exchanged a snuffly greeting. The Alpha retreated back to the head of the group and began a brisk walking  
pace, leading the others toward the far edge of the beach.

They moved into the woods quickly and were soon lost to the misty shadows of the deep forest. The deep red Spirit she-wolf walked at first  
alongside her Alpha, heedless of the trees and rocks that she simply walked through. She kept her head down next to him as if to assist him  
in watching the trail. It was obvious they were communicating their feelings about the beginning of their journey. After a few minutes, Bella's  
wolf began to move randomly around the group, ignoring obstacles and the terrain, particularly checking on her sons and then the other  
children. She paced for several minutes next to Quil to listen to Claire's delighted commentary on the sights and sounds of the forest. She  
was constantly roaming from the front to the back and side to side of the band. She made certain that she touched or 'passed through' each  
member for this was how she could connect with each of them on an enhanced level.

The Pack parade continued through the morning and they were able to tell that the sun had finally burned off the early fog. They were still  
mostly encased in shadow provided by the forest canopy, but the warmth of the sun was able to penetrate and keep the human members  
of the entourage comfortable. Because of the thick tree cover, the sky was mostly obscured and since they had left the beach and turned  
inland, they could not see the dark gray cloud bank roiling over the water toward the Reservation nor did they witness the heavy chop that  
began to overtake the previously calm swells.


	49. Chapter 49

A/N: I've been hiding in the background for a while, I know. Thank you from the bottom of my heart all of you who are  
still reading my little tale. Thank you for the reviews and encouragement. It's possible that this treacherous march will  
take up two chapters. If it turns out that way, I'll wait to post until they are both finished and beta-checked and post them  
just a day or two apart. Cliffies are one thing, but to leave you guys hanging when this kind of crap is happening would  
just be mean, wouldn't it? Thanks and much love to Murfy, the best Beta this side of the Pecos. Without further ado...

By His Side

Chapter Forty Nine

The band of travelers maintained a steady but slow pace on the first trip around their territory. Jacob wanted each member  
of the group to take careful note of the path they were traversing and all the obstacles they were skirting. With the warning  
from his son planted firmly in his mind, he intended to take no unnecessary risks with the lives of his charges. If anything  
happened to him, someone else would lead the families and everyone would benefit from knowing the trail they followed  
from the outset.

The collection of shifters, mates and children were light-hearted at the beginning of their journey. The weather was fine,  
comfortable. The location and scenery was peaceful, lush and beautiful. Since it was so early, even the woodland creatures  
were only beginning to stir as they passed through the thickly forested lands. The human riders, adults and children, were  
enjoying the outing. Conversation flowed easily between the imprints/wives/girlfriends/fiancés. Most of the babies were  
snoozing pretty soon. Being cuddled up against a warm, soft heartbeat was conducive to that state. The toddlers were  
chattering busily in the language only they could translate and the adults talked quietly, taking turns to engage Claire to  
keep her from feeling left out. At her age, kindergarten, she was on an unwieldy middle ground between the adults and  
the rest of the kids. It never ceased to amaze the rest of the Pack how easily Quil could relate to her even now. He was  
such a big kid himself, it was a seamless match-up.

Jacob and Bella were in constant contact even as he was also communicating with the rest of his Packmates. He had shared  
his dream orally with his wife and then had shown it to the rest of his Pack in their mind link. Several of the wolves were a  
tad on edge with the revelations that Dream Will had given his father. They were all keeping a close eye on the weather  
conditions, at least as much as was possible with their limited view of the sky and the ocean. It was a bit like walking in  
a high-ceilinged museum gallery. They could see up to the canopy but only occasionally through to the sky. The glimpses  
they were afforded were sometimes blue with white fluffies, sometimes gray and wispy. It seemed conditions were changing  
rapidly and many of the group, shifters and human alike, realized they were changing faster than was normal for the area or  
the time of year.

"_Jacob, do you see that?"_

"_What? Where Bells?"_

"_Just beyond that cluster of firs up on that ridge."_

"_I just see a rocky outcropping Honey. What are you seeing?"_

"_There's someone standing on those rocks."_

"_Anybody else see someone standing on that pile of rocks up on the ridge beyond those trees?"_

The collection of shifters turned their heads in unison to gaze up to the indicated spot. Not one of them saw anything other than  
the rocks. But then Katherine gave an involuntary shudder and sucked in a huge gasp of air. Embry turned his big, furry head  
to the side to cast an eye up at her.

"We're not alone anymore, guys. I don't see anything, but I feel something up that way, past those trees."

She lifted her hand and pointed toward the rocky point that had garnered Bella's attention.

"_Well, Honey, it's obvious something's up there, but apparently you're the only one who can see him. We'll pause here for a few  
minutes if you want to investigate. Be careful, okay?"_

"_Yeah, I will, Jake. Surround the kids while we're not moving, right?"_

"_Right Babe. You heard the lady folks. Circle the wagons!" _

The group had halted their movement and now began to cluster close together with the children huddled in the center of their position.  
They made a game of the maneuver with Claire and the toddlers so as not to frighten them. It was great fun for the kids playing hide  
and seek in amongst the muscles and fur and tongues and ears and paws.

The Spirit Wolf moved toward the ridge and approached the lone figure that stood on the rocks. He was Native American, dressed in  
ancient style, skins, beads and furs. He was mature but not old. His handsome face was solemn as he extended a hand, beckoning  
Bella toward him. He could see her! She lowered her head in a deferential greeting and attempted to address the man with her thoughts.

"_Good day to you Sir. You are a surprise to join our group, but you are welcome. I am Bella Black, wife of Jacob Black, Alpha of our  
Pack here in La Push. What may I call you?"_

The stranger gave her a slight smile as if pleased at the respect shown in her address.

"_I was known as Taha Aki when I was alive. I believe that is the name by which you know me today. I know what your group seeks to  
achieve today and I wish to lend my help to your effort. I can guide you if your chosen path proves too difficult or impassable."_

"_Your presence honors us and your offer of help is a blessing for which we dared not ask. Are you aware of the dream my Alpha had  
this morning? Our son came to him with a warning."_

"_I am aware. I caused him to make that journey to fulfill a destiny that connected all of your Tribe together for future generations.  
This is why I am with you now. I will help to see you through the trials that you will face today."_

"_Can you tell me if we will be successful? With all of this help we're receiving, I can hardly anticipate failure."_

"_I have unlimited faith in you, your mate and your band of travelers. If all of you have faith in me, together we can complete this task  
which you have undertaken. The love that circles and arises from your group, that each of you have for one another, is the most  
powerful shield that one could hope for. The strength that grows from that love will not be bested today or ever. It is formidable,  
indeed. Your journey will not be easy, but you will prevail, as long as you do not doubt one another. Your greatest weapon today,  
is trust."_

"_Then please join us. We welcome your company and your wisdom."_

The Spirit Wolf knelt down at the foot of the rocks on which the Spirit Warrior stood. He stepped off of them and settled himself on  
her back, sitting tall and proud. As she returned to the huddled Pack, her Alpha raised his head and his eyes widened in surprise.  
Jacob's lip lifted slightly to reveal his long, shiny fangs. The stranger was here with them, and he was happily riding on his wife's  
back! How was this possible? Her Spirit Wolf has no substance!

"_And neither do I, my Alpha Son. I could walk beside you, but your lovely mate offered herself as beast of burden. How could I refuse  
such kindness? Easy son. Jealousy becomes no man."_

"_I understand. I will curb my emotions Sir. Thank you for coming to help us."_

"_I will always help my family when they need me."_

"_We are here, My Jacob. We can continue on now. And I am yours."_

"_And I am yours, wife. I'm sorry, Bells."_

"_S'okay Babe."_

Bella's passenger beamed a huge smile at the two of them. His strong and passionate descendent had certainly done a fine job binding  
himself to his mate. They were perfectly matched. Just as he had intended.

The march resumed. The additional participant was visible to all of the group and the intimidation factor was high. The flowing conversation  
had quieted down considerably, becoming mere whispers and murmurs. Bella's passenger seemed unaffected by the hushed atmosphere  
in the beginning, but soon he petitioned the group to perk up.

"_You must not fear me children. I am here to help you on your quest. We are the same people."_

Bella attempted to explain the change in the group's behavior.

"_Please forgive our timidity. Believing in our histories is one thing, being in their presence and hearing them speak directly to us is quite  
another. Our band will grow accustomed to you soon. I would imagine there are those among us who have myriad questions for you."_

"_I welcome those and will give answers that I hope will strengthen your resolve."_

As the Pack continued onward, conversation became easier and animated. The questions for their ancestor ranged from wishing for details  
about the early Cold One attacks to queries about imprinting and all its benefits and implications.

"_Imprinting is similar to what happens to newborn animals, like ducklings and goslings. When the eggs hatch, and the tiny fowl open their  
eyes and see their mother for the first time, the recognition is of the being that will provide everything they need in life. The devotion the  
babies have for their mother is total and all-consuming. It is the reason broods follow their mothers so closely when she moves. They  
recognize that she is their only path to survival. She is their ultimate provider. When the Spirit Wolf imprints on his soulmate it is not  
so much that he, or she, will become everything that the imprint needs, it is that the imprint supplies anything and everything that the  
Spirit Wolf needs. The imprint provides love, strength, devotion and most of all confidence. The Spirit Wolf is endowed by the imprint with  
the will and the resolve to be the best that he can be. He is able to live up to his full potential because of the presence of the imprint. In  
return the imprint receives the devotion and protection to make their life truly safe and happy."_

"_We've been looking at the purpose of imprinting somewhat backward, haven't we?"_

"_Perhaps a little. It was only natural for you to assume that the stronger male part of the pair was the provider, the protector. First comes  
the benefit FROM the imprint TO the Wolf, which is followed by the benefit TO the imprint from the Wolf. Like a human baby connects with  
their parents when they are newborn, the Wolf connects with his imprint. The most extreme example is the connection of a human baby  
with its mother when still in the womb. The baby can hear the mother's heartbeat, her breathing, her voice. They know her before they  
are born."_

"_And the father?"_

"_The same is true. The nearness of the father before the child is born, exposes the infant to the feel and sound of its male parent as well.  
Before it's even born, the baby knows the beings that have given it life and will take care of it until it matures."_

Suddenly, Jacob lifted his head and stared at his ancestor with dawning realization in his eyes.

"_The imprints...are the other half of the Wolf's soul."_

"_Yes."_

"_They are two halves of a whole."_

"_Now, you begin to see."_

"_They were once one, then separated, then they are brought back together. This re-completes the one soul, the one Spirit."_

"_And there you have the fullness of understanding."_

Jacob looked at Bella. Each of the wolves looked at their imprints with new eyes. The connection is strong because they were connected  
_BEFORE._ The clarity of the moment was not lost on any of them.

But the opportunity to ponder the newly achieved level of understanding was interrupted by a great groaning and creaking noise. As the  
group's attention was re-focused on their surroundings, they were galvanized with the urgency of the need to protect. Three giant pines  
were swaying in a sudden strong wind and the group was enclosed in the area between them.

The deafening cracks came as expected, echoing around them. As the trees began to shower needles and bark on their heads, the group  
began to move as one mass to escape the fallout. The children were covered with bodies curved around them and the adults took the brunt  
of the physical abuse from the falling missiles. The crashing tree trunks seemed to aim themselves at the group and when silence finally  
settled again in the forest, the three giant pines formed an enclosure around the tightly clustered band of travelers. Jacob stepped around  
his Pack to assess injuries and damage.

"_Are all the kids okay? Give me verbal reports."_

Each person carrying a baby or toddler checked them over carefully. Claire was examined by three of the wolves around Quil. All were  
untouched. Some of the human members had some bruises and scratches, but everyone was essentially unscathed. Several of the pack  
mule wolves jumped over the fallen trees to investigate the reason for their tumble to the ground. No evidence or cause could be found.  
Jacob locked eyes with his mate's rider and Taha Aki nodded his confirmation back. The tests and obstacles they would face today would  
have no logical explanations. They could anticipate nothing. They must be vigilant and alert constantly. They could not drop their guard  
even for a second.


	50. Chapter 50

By His Side

Chapter Fifty

The group of wolves, mates and children were trapped, corralled in a three-sided pine tree enclosure. The trunks formed a  
triangle around them, each one propped up on the end of the next. After determining that everyone was relatively uninjured,  
Jacob began to reconnoiter to find their best escape.

"_We can't have the wolves carrying passengers with babies jump the trunks. It's too high, too risky."_

"_Could we all phase back and form a line and pass them across?"_

"_Not sure the girls would have the upper body strength needed for that, Embry."_

"_My children, you can come through this passage."_

They all turned to look to where their ancestor's voice had come from. Where one tree trunk was propped on the next, there was  
a deep depression in the ground right under the gap under the top tree. Claire squealed her delight at the tunnel and urged Quil  
to let her down. He dropped to his belly and she slipped off of his back. Caring little for the muddy surface, she dropped to her hands  
and knees and crawled through to the outside jumping to her feet, clapping her hands and giggling.

Each wolf with a passenger dropped to his belly and the imprints dismounted and crawled through the opening that Claire had blazed.  
The wolves and panther easily hopped over the trunks and regained their human burdens. As they regrouped and began to move forward  
again, a light drizzle began to fall. The ground was already sodden and as more moisture seeped into it, the surface became slippery and  
spongy. The animals' big paws were ample enough to take the path across the otherwise risky footing.

With only a couple of miles left in their first circuit, the mood of the travelers lifted and they began to feel more optimistic about their success.

As the second circuit reached the halfway mark, the temperature of the air took a decidedly downward turn. In less than a span of 10 minutes,  
the group was slowing down, trudging through blizzard snow conditions. The humans were feeling the cold biting their ears, noses and other  
extremities and the fears for the welfare of the children rose accordingly. Jacob picked up his pace as he followed the faster lead of his wife  
and her rider. Taha Aki spoke in reassuring tones.

"_Come with me to the top of this ridge. Come into this cave."_

Jacob and the rest of the Pack were stunned at the speed with which Bella and their ancestor led them out of the blowing whiteout. Jacob  
couldn't have been more grateful for the visit he'd received from his grown son in the dream that morning. The wolves with passengers  
allowed them to dismount, then phased to human to begin to unpack the gear stowed on their Alpha's back. The mouth of the cave was  
partially covered over with one huge tarp while the pop-up tents were erected. Each tent housed 2 or 3 humans with babies, and a wolf  
as a space heater. A fire was quickly lit near the mouth of the cave and food and water was distributed. Feeding time for the babies was  
supplied with bottles warmed by tucking them between wolf paws. The heating was gentle but speedy. Emily and Rachel agreed that they  
would now prefer the wolf method over warm water in a pan on the stove. This new discovery thrilled Bella as well. They now appreciated  
their live-in wolf bottle warmers even more.

By the time everyone had finished their meal, the snowstorm had exited as quickly as it had arrived. Jacob, Embry and Paul stood at the  
mouth of the cave and looked out at the aftermath of the blizzard. The snow was nearly a foot deep and they groaned at the difficult footing  
this would present. As if in answer to their anxiety over the conditions, a roaring came from the trees above the entrance to the cave. The  
boys stepped back at the noise and looked up to see what appeared to be a small tornado whipping down the face of the ridge. They quickly  
retreated into the cave to gather the others into a tight circle.

The funnel of the tornado slipped down over the mouth of the cave, pushing the tarp inward, yanking it loose from its anchor points. The fire  
and all of its fuel was swept outward where it was dumped into a snow bank and doused completely. The cave occupants huddled close together,  
covering the imprints and children in their center. The noise was deafening, rivaling the sound from the crashing pine trees.

As suddenly as it had appeared, the tornado vanished. Jacob and Embry slowly lifted their heads and gave a cursory glance over the group.  
All seemed to be well. The babies even seemed to still be asleep, drowsing from their warm and satisfying bottles. The Alpha and Beta exchanged  
a puzzled look and turned to the mouth of the cave to see sunshine beaming down. They walked out into a sunny day, a balmy breeze and freshly  
watered grass and wildflowers. No snow remained. It was as if it had never happened.

Bella's Spirit Wolf and Taha Aki's Spirit had disappeared outside when the tornado had forced the rest of the group back. They reappeared and  
encouraged the travelers to join them outside in the lovely afternoon.

"_Bells, Taha Aki, is this the kind of thing we can expect for the rest of the day? Are these challenges going to run their course and then disappear  
as is they'd never happened, even cleaning up after themselves?"_

"_These phenomena are merely manifestations of doubts in your hearts. As you survive and overcome each challenge, I hope your faith will be  
strengthened. You are the captains of your chosen path and your future. Your will and your resolve dictate your tests and your successes."_

"_Jacob, we can do this. I feel it and I know you and the others can too. Let's get on the trail again."_

He grinned at his mate and prepared to phase so the others could repack and reload the gear on his back.

"_I get it, Bells. Destiny awaits."_

Once the group was reformed, with everyone fed, phased, reloaded and remounted, they left the shelter of the cave and moved along the ridge.  
Just before they rounded the far side of the crest, Paul's wolf turned and looked back toward the spot where they had found their protection from  
the snow and wind. As Paul and Rachel watched in astonishment and wonder, the mouth of the cave faded out of sight and was replaced by solid  
rock, partially coated in soil, moss and other vegetation. Rachel and Paul each felt an involuntary shiver run through their middles. Paul turned  
back to continue with the group and replayed what he had seen behind them to the rest of the Pack. Bella and her passenger smiled at one another  
in their minds.

Shortly after they had begun the third circuit of their homeland, the sky began to grow dark again. Deep, rolling thunderclouds were forming  
overhead, blotting out the sun. The wind picked up and booming claps of thunder shook the ground. The group was quicker to react to this danger.  
The imprints dismounted and began to unpack foul weather gear from Jacob's back. Rain ponchos with hoods and boots were passed around. Mere  
moments after the protective clothing had been donned and the women and children had remounted their wolves, huge raindrops began to fall.  
The deluge grew to biblical proportions rapidly, but the travelers pressed forward. The journey needed to be complete before dark, as the instructions  
in the journals had spelled out, requiring the trip be made in one day.

Once again, footing became difficult, but they persisted in their efforts. When their determination reached their hearts, and they were filled with the  
faith their ancestor hoped for, the rain stopped. The sun returned and the ground firmed up. Once they realized their hearts had completed the journey,  
they realized their physical journey was also at an end. The group stopped and looked at their surroundings. They were at the edge of the forest on  
the east end of Second Beach, the spot where they had begun their trek.

Jacob and Bella, along with Taha Aki, circled the Pack and families. Everyone was here. Everyone was safe. Everyone was healthy. The wolves laid  
down on the edge of the pebble-strewn beach and the women climbed off and began to unpack the remaining supplies and gear from the pack mule  
wolves. When all of the Pack was relieved of their burden and the entire group stood together on the beach, they turned as one to face the Pacific Ocean.

Jacob phased and called out toward the water while the others watched in eager anticipation.

"We have completed the trip Carlisle. We are all here. You and your family may come forward."

The rolling swells seemed to calm somewhat and the surface was broken maybe 20 feet out by five figures moving slowly toward the shore. Carlisle,  
Esme, Jasper, Rosalie and Emmett walked tentatively, approaching the water's edge with slow, deliberate movements. The Pack and their families,  
Bella and Taha Aki watched with confidence borne of their day's accomplished task. As the vampire family rose out of the water, the air around the  
group on the beach began to crackle with energy.

When the Cullen family was still knee deep in the calm Pacific waters, they stopped. They each attempted to lift a foot to take the next step. They  
could not. The patriarch addressed the Alpha.

"Jacob, it is done. We cannot gain access to the beach. There seems to be a barrier which we can't penetrate."

The reaction was near instantaneous. The Wolf Pack each threw back their heads and howled to the sky. The humans shouted and cheered. The  
Spirit Wolf's rider had dismounted and now wrapped his arms around her neck in an affectionate embrace. Even the vampires seemed pleased at  
the outcome. Jasper addressed the Alpha as the other Cullens began to back away into the waves.

"We will move around the perimeter of the territory, Jacob. As your Pack members arrive at each checkpoint we can approach so they can witness  
the effectiveness of the ritual. Our Denali family members are due to come down next Tuesday to test for protection against intruders other than Cullens."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~BHS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bella's Spirit Wolf had bid farewell to the Alpha and the rest of the Pack and their families. They had all thanked Taha Aki and he had pledged his  
presence for them. They had both then retreated into the forest and disappeared. The imprints and children were escorted back to their homes by  
Quil, Sam and Clive. Maggie had taken to the air to oversee the additional checkpoints that the Cullens would be approaching. Jacob, Embry, Paul,  
Leah, Daniel, Collin and Brady split up to the perimeter checkpoints. Seth and Jared carried Will and Jay along behind Bella and Taha Aki. When they  
reached the Alpha's home, Taha Aki wished them health and happiness and faded into the dusky twilight. Bella came back to her body and joined  
Charlie, Billy and Sue downstairs when the wolves came in the front door with her boys. She and the two wolves embraced each other with the twins  
in their circle, enjoying a quiet moment of thankfulness and celebration. Seth and Jared headed outside and phased to guard the cottage until the  
checks were completed and their Alpha returned home.

As she cuddled both of her babies, holding them close to her heart for the first time since they left for the beach with their father, Bella began to  
fill in her father, father-in-law and Sue on the surreal aspects of their efforts of the day.

"I hardly know where to begin. One of the first things that happened, Billy you'll like this, we were joined by the Spirit of Taha Aki."

Billy Black's eyes widened in surprise only for moment.

"I started to say I was surprised, but on second thought, I'm not. We should have known from the outset that this ritual would have his blessing.  
The writings Seth found were from his ancestors. Nobody would know better than Taha Aki what you were attempting to accomplish and what  
kind of guidance you would need from him. I knew this was going to be a great day."

"It has been a great day for all of us. But it certainly wasn't the easiest of days."

"What else happened, Bells? Why was it so tough?"

"Well, the main thing was the bizarre weather, just like Will had warned Jacob about."

"Bizarre weather? What bizarre weather? It's been a beautiful September day, kiddo."

"What? You didn't see the storms that rolled through?"

"No. No storms around La Push today. Why, what did you guys see?"

"I can't believe this. We walked through fog, a rainstorm for the end of days and falling 50-year-old pine trees. We sheltered in a cave from a  
snowstorm, no, a blizzard, and then a tornado."

"Cave? What cave? Bella, there aren't any caves within the borders of the territory the Pack outlined."

"There aren't? Are you sure?"

"Positive sweetie. Billy, you don't know of any do you?"

"None. There's plenty down south of Port Angeles, but all of this territory is underpinned with solid bedrock. The closest thing to a cave is some of  
the tiny inlets down from First Beach that flood for a while at high tide."

Bella sat silently for several minutes looking down at her sons and thinking. Had today been one massive group hallucination? No. Maybe? Then she  
thought, what does it matter?

"Whether what we saw was real or imagined, we all shared the experiences, we were together, we bonded in our efforts and our quest and we were  
successful. The Cullens came up out of the water at Second Beach. They couldn't get all the way out of the water. They said it was like a barrier or a  
force preventing them from setting foot on the beach."

Billy and Charlie leaned toward one another to shake hands in victory. Sue came to Bella and kissed her cheek.

"Let me have the boys, honey, and I'll get them a bottle and take them upstairs. I'll get them bedded down for you. You should put your feet up and relax."

"No need for that Sue. I've been snoozing all day and now I'm about to jump out of my skin for Jacob to get home. I'll take one and you take the other  
and we'll get them fed and bathed together. Thanks again for baby-sitting me while we were all out gallivanting around the countryside. Dad, thank you  
and you too, Billy."

"Glad to help, Bells."

"My pleasure, honey."

While Bella and Sue took care of the Alpha pair's pups, the Alpha and six of his Pack moved quickly around the area they'd marked out for the territory  
they would claim for protection. This included La Push, the Makah Reservation, the National Forest, the Wildlife Reserve and Forks. Members of the Cullen  
family moved with their assigned wolf counterparts to test their access across the imaginary lines. At each point, at each turn, the vampires encountered  
an invisible barrier that they could not penetrate. Jasper described it to Paul as feeling like the repelling push when one tries to force two magnets of  
similar fields together. Esme and Rosalie said it felt like something was pulling at them from behind, stopping them from moving forward any further.  
They met up with all seven of the wolves at the final checkpoint area and moved up into the forest canopy to attempt to cross the border through the  
treetops. It couldn't be done.

Jacob and his Pack thanked the Cullens for their help, arranged the time for the Denali coven to assist with a second round of testing, and sprinted for  
the clearing behind the Alpha's home. The seven wolves clustered close together in a circle. While they were communing, the other four wolves joined  
them. The big, black panther stood off to the edge of the clearing until the russet wolf approached him and escorted him into the group with his adopted  
family. They all cast their eyes skyward as the huge red-tailed hawk spread her wings and beat them to guide her to a soft landing next to them.

Bella, Sue, Charlie and Billy walked out onto the Black's back porch, the two women holding bottles to the greedy mouths of the Alpha pups. They stood  
soaking up the warm air and basking in the balmy breeze. They watched the Pack press close together, committing the memory of the day to their hearts  
and souls. When the wolves, panther and hawk finally stirred and separated, they all scattered for home except Jacob. He phased and strode toward his  
home and his girl and his sons. Bella was now alone on the porch, holding Will and Jay close to her body. Jacob climbed the steps and slipped on the shorts  
she had brought out and placed on a chair for him. He lifted Will from her arms and nuzzled his face into his son's tummy, shaking his head until the baby  
was consumed with giggles. Jacob then held him up in front of his face to look into the baby's eyes.

"Thanks for the heads up buddy."

He clutched the baby to his shoulder and wrapped his arms around his wife and their other son.


	51. Chapter 51

By His Side

Chapter Fifty One

Three Weeks Later

"Have you ever seen anything like that? Ever?"

"Not in my sickest nightmares."

"That may be the fucking funniest thing I've ever seen with my own eyes!"

"How long do you think it's been here?"

"I'm gonna get a stick and poke it."

"Hey yeah, we can stir it around and see what happens!"

"No, Quil, no Brady, nobody's gonna do anything with a stick."

"Aw, man! Why not?"

"Well, number one, because I'm your Alpha and I said so. Oh God, I never thought I'd ever hear myself say something  
like that. Number two, since we don't know how long it's been here, we don't know if it might still be able to...do something."

"Well, what the hell do you propose we DO do Mr. Baby Alpha?"

"Bite me, Paul. Gimme a minute."

"Why doesn't it smell?"

"Hey, you're right, it doesn't stink!"

"Cause it's the opposite of something that died, you moron. It was already dead and then...it got like this...and...it...lost its stink...  
yeah, that's it. It lost its stink when it did whatever it did to get like...that."

"Quil, will you give it a rest? Please? Hey! Don't do that!"

"I'm just looking!"

"Okay, enough, all of you! Paul, toss me your lighter. Mine's out of fuel."

"Sure, Bossman. Catch!"

"Okay, stand back a bit, everyone."

"Careful, Jacob."

"Yeah, you don't know where that thing's been."

"Shut up, Quil."

"What are you plannin' Jake?"

"I'm just gonna torch it, as per usual. Why, what's the problem, Embry?"

"Well, it's just that this is so unusual, to find one just lying on the ground like this, in a dozen pieces, not trying to move back  
together, not stinkin', I mean, dude, that's just wrong."

"Well, okay, everybody back up some more...and Leah, throw that stick over here."

"Which stick?"

"The one in Quil's hand."

"I coulda thrown it to you, Jake."

"Yeah, but I wanna keep both of my eyes in their regular places."

"Oh, ha, ha."

"Yeah, yeah. Back up, back up."

Jacob took a greasy shop rag out of his jeans pocket and tore it partially in half, wrapping it around the end of the stick procured  
by Leah. He flicked the lighter and lit the rag, which quickly began to give off a black, smoky fume that almost smelled worse than  
burning bloodsucker. He stood back as far as he could, reached out with his long arm and touched the flaming rag to the closest  
piece of vampire. The effect was a little like turning on the gas for a barbeque grill but waiting to light it for too many seconds.  
The PHOOM! that went up sent the entire Pack leaping back several feet. More than one of them began to giggle hysterically as  
they fell over each other in retreat, marveling at the mushroom cloud Jacob had produced.

But then, something totally unexpected happened. It appeared that the main reason that the pieces of vampire didn't stink may  
have been because the incendiary ammunition, the fuel supply, that caused them to go up in a blaze in the first place, presumably  
their venom, had flowed out of the pieces and soaked into the ground around the remains. While the Pack laughed and joked or in  
some cases cautiously eyed the conflagration in front of them, they all began to unconsciously shuffle their feet. All of them were  
barefoot, practically their natural state. They started off with the shuffling, then it grew to nervous fidgeting, then anxious dancing.  
After about 60 seconds, an area of forest floor about 50 feet square burst into flame under their feet. Almost as one, 11 wolves, along  
with a panther and hawk, leaped into the air howling, still in their human forms. They were virtually too surprised to phase and were  
hurriedly tip toeing backward desperately searching for cooler ground. Arms were flailing, knees were pistoning up and down, hot soles  
were seeking some green grass, some nice chilly mud, anything.

"What the...?"

"What the...?"

"Jake, your pants legs!"

"Oh shit!"

"That's it, I'm gettin' the hell outta here. Anyone coming to the river with me? For a nice cool wading party?"

"Hang on, we can't leave this fire here in the middle of the woods unattended!"

"And you just wanna tell us how to fix this, Smoky?"

"Hey look, it's dying down!"

"What are you doing, Paul?"

The volatile warrior of the Pack had slipped out of his shorts and phased unnoticed during the dancing and discussion. His big gray  
wolf was working his way around the perimeter of fire scratching and scrubbing his claws into the dirt. He was strutting his paws  
straight out behind him and moving around the flames, tail and butt leading the way. He was digging a fire break around the  
vampire pyre.

"Hey, Paul's markin' his poopy territory! Way to go Lahote!"

"Jared, Seth, phase and give him a hand will ya? Quil! What are you doing? Oh my God!"

Jacob buried his face in his palms, shaking his head and yet trying not to laugh. He didn't want to encourage him. Quil had slipped  
out of his shorts as well, phased, and was now making his way around the fire zone following Paul's path, nose to nose with Paul,  
and lifting his hind leg every few feet. Jacob started to yell at him to stop, until he noticed it was working. He cast a rueful glance  
over at Leah and Maggie and tried not to smile too big at them.

"Perhaps you'd like to turn your heads, ladies?"

Leah scoffed a laugh at her Alpha, whipped off her tee-shirt dress and phased in the blink of an eye. She could actually participate  
in this fire drill and she began 'dousing' the flames alongside her Pack brothers who all soon followed her and Quil's lead. Maggie  
declined to participate, hanging her own head when she saw her grandfather stripping down.

"Papi!"

"What? I'm not gonna miss out on the fun Magnet! I'm not that old, ya know!"

In the weeks following the 'Vampfire Weenie Roast' as Quil continued to refer to it, 4 more broken leeches were found in the same  
condition as the first one. Learning from their hot foot mistake, Jacob made sure that someone had been sent to fetch a fire  
extinguisher, or at least a bucket of water, before the additional ones were burned. This was also deemed an acceptable alternative  
to the original 'watering' technique. The reason the 'pee fest' wouldn't be repeated was established when Embry, Paul, Jared and a  
gasping for air Quil banged on Jacob's door early one Saturday morning. The Alpha yanked open his back door, rubbing his sleepy  
eyes, his bed head on display, his unzipped shorts just barely hanging onto his hips.

"What the hell? Hold it down guys, if you wake the babies, Bella will have your hides. Do you have any idea what time it is?"

"Oh man, Jake! It's time for you to come out here and phase with us! You have got to see this!"

Rather than attempt to argue with them, Jacob eased out onto the back porch pulling the door shut quietly behind him. They all  
dropped trou on the porch and phased as they trotted toward the back of the yard. The wolves banded together to show their leader  
what each of them had witnessed. In the headline news that was the Pack Mind, Jacob saw a series of 'clips' showing the area where  
the first broken vamp had been burned and then given a collective golden shower to put out the residual flames. There were countless  
occurrences of various and sundry woodland creatures approaching the spot, stopping and sniffing nervously, glancing around anxiously,  
and high-tailing it out of the clearing as quickly as their paws, hooves, whatever, could carry them. All five of the wolves had begun to  
snicker and chuff. It sounded like a water buffalo and a moose drinking from a watering trough.

_"What is that all about?"_

_"It's simple, Jake! They're scared!"_

_"Scared? Why would all the animals in the woods be scared?"_

_"Because Jake, that bit of prime real estate has been severely marked! By eleven wolves, a panther and a hawk!"_

_"It's been claimed! I doubt any other animals will go near that place for months!"_

_"Oh, man! Well, thank Taha Aki it's a remote location on the edge of our territory."_

_"Oh, it's on OUR territory all right!"_

_"Oh, hell! Stop it now, Quil!"_

The mystery of the broken leeches was beginning to grab all of the Pack members' attention. Jacob had altered the patrol run rules  
to emphasize sight equally with scent detection since the scattered vampire pieces seldom had any smell left to them. Bella began  
to be worried that some new monster had invaded the area and was preying on the vampires. Jacob tried unsuccessfully to calm her  
fears about that bizarre possibility.

"Jake! What if I'm right, though? If there's something else out there that can do that do a vampire, what else might they be capable  
of damaging?"

"Bells, Honey, don't get carried away on me now. We don't want to jump to any conclusions about new species of monsters, do we?"

"Carried away! What if it's something that wants to carry away people? Jake! We have to move! Or take a long vacation!"

"No, come on now, Bells. We're not moving and everybody's safe. Whatever is happening, it's only happening to bloodsuckers. No living  
creatures have been attacked. Breathe, Honey. You're freaking out the boys."

The Alpha female's meltdown was postponed and the pups were spared their mother's anxiety attack when Sam and Seth came into the  
edge of the back yard and howled loudly. Jacob hugged Bella quickly and popped a little kiss on each son before he dashed out the back  
door. As he phased and ran toward Sam and Seth, most of the rest of the Pack phased in as well.

"_What's going on, guys?"_

"_We're here! What is it?"_

"_What's happening?"_

"_Where's the fire?"_

Sam's wolf rolled his eyes at Quil's query and lowered his head, thankful that Jake was Alpha now.

"_Seth and I were patrolling the Northeast perimeter_ _just now; we thought you'd all want to see this."_

_They all looked inward to bear witness to the scene from the far edge of the Reservation. Seth and Sam trotted easily side by side enjoying  
an uneventful tour of duty. Suddenly, as they rounded a copse of pine trees and glanced toward a clearing that straddled the territorial  
boundary they saw two bright red-eyed vampires standing stock still and staring back at them. The vamps looked at each other, nodded  
in silent agreement, and took off at a full-speed run straight at the stunned wolves. As Seth and Sam separated and crouched in defensive  
positions, the vampires sped toward them, and the wolves gaped in shock as both vamps came to a dead stop. They came in violent contact  
with a completely invisible wall, right at the boundary the march had established, and shattered into huge chunks, splattering around  
like meteor fragments. And they did not move again._

_"Well, would you look at that!"_

_"Son of a gun!"_

"_Proof!"_

"_It freakin' worked!"_

The collective celebratory howl resounded through the forest. Birds and other fauna scattered in fright. Pups wailed in sympathy and waved  
their tiny fists and chubby little feet. Pack children who were toddler ages laughed and ran around crazily, with no purpose or reason. The  
most significant response, which was reported in mass phone calls later that night, was a wave of calming warmth and general good vibrations  
that spread across the Reservation and all of the claimed protected territory. The hastily organized bonfire on First Beach that very night  
resembled a New Year's Eve or Fourth of July celebration. The wild jubilation was infectious and the revelry extended into the wee hours of  
the following morning.

Jacob and his Packmates vowed to continue their vigilant and rigorous patrolling for an unspecified time to come. They just wanted to be sure.

Bella wondered if someday soon, they would all be able to just breathe, for the first time in a very long time.


	52. Chapter 52

By His Side

Chapter Fifty Two

Chief Jacob Black fell to his knees on the sands of First Beach looking out over the gentle swells of the deep blue-green Pacific.  
The flutter in his heart was accompanied by a warm rush of emotional pride. He held out his long arms and reached toward the  
water. A huge smile broke across his features as his sons waded out of the waves and flung themselves into his strong embrace.  
Jacob stood with a twin on each hip as the boys played footsie with each other while trying to wrap their legs around their father's  
waist. He turned and strode away from the water toward a large blanket spread out on the beach. On it was a cooler, a huge picnic  
basket, a small stereo playing classic rock turned low, and his lovely wife sipping wine from a blue Solo cup, her lips smiling around  
the rim as her eyes roamed up and down over her gorgeous husband's sculpted, muscular body. The other occupant of the space on  
the blanket was a sweet, caramel-skinned little girl with a headful of fluffy, dark brown hair. She sat next to her mother as she knelt  
at the edge of the blanket scooping up sand with a tiny red shovel and depositing most of it into a yellow bucket in front of her. Bella  
had one arm wrapped around her daughter's waist preventing her from falling over into the sand as she reached further with her little  
shovel for the choicest bits of beach to collect.

Sarah Charlotte Black was one year old today. She had a balloon-filled party on the beach, a brand new shovel and bucket, some  
birthday cake frosting stuck in her hair and smeared on her tiny bikini, and her father wrapped firmly around her little finger. Even  
though he was currently ferrying her big brothers from the surf to the blanket, his eyes had caressed her mother's slightly rounded  
tummy and then riveted to Sarah's rosy cheeks. When he reached the rest of his family, he placed the boys on their feet and squatted  
beside them to grab a towel to dry himself and the boys off. He scruffed up their long black hair, squeezing the strands in the towel to  
soak up the water, then rubbed down each of their bodies, tickling them along the way causing gales of giggling. He threw a corner of  
the towel over his own head and scrubbed his hair, dragging the towel across his chest before tossing it to the sand, running his fingers  
through his hair to slick it back out of his eyes and flopping down on the blanket. He stretched out on his side, propping himself up on  
one elbow, leaned up to kiss Bella soundly and then dropped his head down next to his little cherub. He snuggled his face into her belly  
and stole several sweet, baby-scented kisses.

"Is my little angel gonna dig her way to China?"

The tiny child dropped her shovel, grabbed her daddy's cheeks with both hands and planted a sloppy kiss on his nose. Jacob placed his  
lips on Sarah's nose, making loud smacking noises and then laid his head beside her on the blanket. This was his daughter's favorite  
position for him. She put her own head on the blanket and touched her nose to his and lay there staring into his eyes. Father and  
daughter had spent many hours gazing into each other's eyes like this over the past year. Her mother had wondered if she should  
be jealous of his divided attention, until he had wrapped her in his arms, placed his lips to her ear and whispered his request for  
making another little Black.

That child was the son who now swelled Bella's stomach. She had only barely begun to show, but Jacob could hardly contain his  
excitement and pride. His shoulders were thrown back just a little farther and his chest pressed out just a bit more. His sons were  
3½, his daughter was one today and before she was two, they would have another son in their family Pack. He often reminded Bella  
that Will had told him in the dream before the march that they would eventually have seven children. She assured him that she was  
fine with seven as long as they weren't too close together, or too far apart.

"I want them to be able to grow and play together, Jacob, but I don't want to destroy my body trying. Give me time to exercise and  
get back into shape a little before another go, okay?"

They hadn't planned on another baby quite so close behind Sarah, but their lives had come together so well over the last couple of  
years, they couldn't deny their excitement at the prospect. Bella had finished her Pre-Law coursework just three months ago. She  
would be putting off her Law School studies for a year or two to concentrate on relaxing as a mother and the wife of the Chief of the  
Quileute Tribe. Billy Black had passed the torch of leadership to his son a few weeks earlier announcing his plans to set new records  
for number of fish caught and total pounds caught. Charlie Swan had stepped in and picked up the gauntlet thrown down by his best  
friend. Their fishing challenge would not likely garner any headlines, but it would be a constant topic of conversation at future bonfires.

Jacob had two more years of engineering classes to complete his degree. His position as Pack Alpha and his duties as husband, father  
and business owner made it necessary to move a little more slowly with his studies. Black Pack Air had become the premier transportation  
service in the Pacific Northwest. Clive Pitt was still piloting the first plane they acquired and running roughshod rule over the three other  
pilots that now worked for them. They had a total of six aircraft in their arsenal, four pilots and two mechanics working full time. They  
had contracts with several regional resorts for transporting tourists and supplies throughout the area. They even flew supply runs up to  
Alaska to the village where they had met Sqilatow, the polar bear shifter in the tribe that suffered the flu epidemic all those years ago.  
Jacob often tagged along on those flights to visit his shifter friend. They were still attempting to teach each other their native languages  
and once Sqilatow and his mate had flown back to La Push with Clive to visit Jacob and Bella. They claimed the area was nice, but too  
green. Bella assured them she understood exactly how they felt, remembering the dreams she once had when she was newly arrived  
in Forks.

One development that delighted Jacob most of all about his Air Freight business with Clive was the fact that the other three pilots that  
worked for them were members of the Pack. Brady, Collin and Seth had all obtained pilot's licenses and had immediately begun their  
on-the-job training with Clive. Jacob was especially pleased at Seth's success with his flying lessons. Seth had already begun lessons  
in a glider he had purchased declaring that someday he would be able to soar among the clouds with his lady. Marguerite was excited  
for him to complete that training. She already routinely flew alongside him each time he went up in a Black Pack plane. Seth had vowed  
to her that he would be ready to glide with her on their honeymoon. That was only two months away, but he was certain he would make it.

The rest of Jacob's time was taken up at the garage, which now included a body shop, that he owned with Quil and Embry. He was still  
widely known as the best mechanic for miles around and his talents were demanded by customers on a regular basis. He didn't want to  
completely retire from working on cars, as that had been his first real talent and first means of earning a living. Tinkering with a classic  
automobile was one of his favorite ways of unwinding and resetting his mind if it was in turmoil about some problem. He was currently  
in the middle of two classic car restorations that made his heart race when he reached a new milestone in the process. One was a 1929  
Duesenberg he was working on for a client. The other was a 1970 Dodge Charger. That one was all for himself. It was a classic Charger  
and would be deep turquoise with a white vinyl roof, a 440, a 4-barrel and an automatic with a slapstick. He'd promised Bella that when  
it was finished, he'd take her cruising and then parking up on the cliff's edge where she'd once jumped into the ocean. That had been  
another lifetime and now they wanted to christen the spot with a completely different type of plunge. Maybe one day they'd go up there  
to conceive another addition to their brood.

The success of the march was not broadcast outside the borders of La Push, but inside, well, that was another matter. Not long after the  
march, when pieces of vampires began showing up around their borders, the secret of the Pack was blown out of the water, deliberately.  
A festival was held within the boundary of the Reservation, the entire Tribe was invited. Billy Black and the rest of the Council of Elders  
were all seated on a dais, the entrance to the Rez had had been restricted to Tribe only, with the exception of the inclusion of Chief  
Charlie Swan, and an announcement of grand proportions was to be made. Virtually every member of the Tribe was present. A picnic  
of epic proportions had been staged, entertainment had been presented and then Billy had moved over to a microphone and called for  
everyone's attention.

"Normally, our Tribe's legends would be related around a bonfire before a smaller group of individuals. Today, they are for all of our people.  
Today, we will all know the truth. I trust all of you are aware that we are of one family. Know this, your family leaders have not lied to you.  
We have withheld some truths from some of you because our ancestors dictated it. They were mistaken and we were misled. The knowledge  
we will impart to you today is for all of the Quileute people. It will from this day forward be an integral part of our Tribe and how we live and  
conduct ourselves. It must not travel outside of our Tribe, but those within will no longer be kept in the dark."

Billy, with the help of Sue Clearwater, Old Quil and Jacob, then proceeded to tell all of the history of their people's origins and their ancestors.  
They told of Taha Aki, the third wife, the Cold Ones, the wolves, the early Packs, the Cullens, Bella, the newborns, the Volturi. New stories  
had been added to record the events of the last few years. The legends were all recited out loud. The audience did not grow restless. Instead,  
they were entranced, hanging on every word because so many of their number had never heard some of the stories. Finally, Billy finished the  
last story about the Volturi and the Cullens. He let his gaze roam over the crowd assembled in front of him. He drew in a deep breath and let  
it out slowly. Here was the moment.

"My people, my family, you have heard all but one of the legends. Now is the time I ask that each of you hear my voice and take my words  
into your hearts. All of these legends...are true."

There were several moments when the only sound was a fire crackling and some seagulls calling to one another. A lone wolf howled low in  
the distance. Many heads turned toward the sound before moving back to stare expectantly at their Chief. There was a rumble of voices  
beginning within the crowd that grew rapidly. Disbelief, shock, anger began to voice itself among the Tribe's stunned population. Billy and  
the others simply waited them out. Finally, there was a crescendo of shouts and cooler minds prevailed, calming down the noise into an  
anticipatory hum. Billy lifted the microphone back to his lips.

"I hope you will accept my words as truth. Proof can be provided for non-believers. We still have an active Wolfpack on our Reservation, my  
son Jacob is their Alpha, and any or all of them will gladly demonstrate their shifting abilities to you. In the past, it was thought best to keep  
the existence of the Pack concealed from all but a select inner circle. This has caused innumerable hardships on the Pack members and their  
families. The Council, the Pack and all our families have decided, no more. It will become Tribal Law that no one outside the Tribe may know  
unless approved by the Council of Elders. We realize that members of our people may find their mates outside of the Tribe. They will not be  
kept in the dark and the Tribe members will never be forced to lie to their family, their loved ones."

After letting Billy's speech sink in a little longer, Jacob stepped forward to speak to his people. He reached down to hug his father while taking  
the mic from his hand.

"I have one more story to share with all of you. This involves my wife, Bella, and my son Will. It also involves Seth Clearwater and his lovely  
bride-to-be Marguerite Pitt-Fleming. If there are any questions about the events that led up to this last tale, they will be happy to answer them."

Jacob took a deep breath and scanned his audience. He then began his tale. He told of Seth's discovery of the journals in the hidden library in  
the Council Hall. He told of Marguerite accompanying Seth to search for clues. He related how the Pack and their families joined together to  
learn what was required to enact the ritual described in the journals. He then paused before telling of the dream he had the morning of the  
march. He cast his eyes toward Bella who was sitting with Will in her lap. He smiled at his wife and son before continuing.

"In the early hours of the morning on the day of the march, I was asleep in my home with my wife by my side and our sons in their crib. I had  
a wondrous dream. In this dream, my son William came to me as an adult. He told me that our efforts that day would be successful but he  
warned me that we would face many obstacles and perils. He told me that the Spirits would test our resolve and our courage and that the  
elements would be turned against us and we must prepare so we could protect our mates and children that marched with us. We faced winds  
greater than any hurricane, rain that caused flooding, snow that threatened to blind us and a tornado that tried to carry away our supplies.  
All of this happened on a warm and peaceful summer day and yet we pressed on. My wife marched with us in her Spirit Wolf form and she  
was joined by the Spirit representation of Taha Aki. We were guided and assisted by our ancestor's wisdom and love and as predicted by my  
son, we were successful. Since we completed the march, we have recorded more than 30 instances of supernatural evils attempting to cross  
the boundaries we set forth. None have successfully entered into our lands and all of them have destroyed themselves trying. From that day  
forward, we have faith that our homes will be safe from attacks from the supernatural realms. We need not fear any longer for the safety of  
our families or our way of life."

When Jacob finished speaking, there was an extended bit of silence. As the gathering began to break up, people began to head for their homes  
to discuss what they had been told. Many lingered behind for the promised 'proof' of which Billy had spoken. The people were warned that the  
shifters had to disrobe before shifting. A modesty barrier made of a beach towel was hastily erected and the Tribe's people were treated to a  
show of epic proportions. The wolves shifted two or three at a time until seven of them stood in the middle of the large group. The greatest  
sensation came when Clive and Marguerite shifted also. It was as if the legends of the wolves had prepared them to see the Pack as truth, but  
a black panther and a red-tailed hawk were something quite unexpected. There were many women who were supremely interested in Leah and  
Maggie. The fact that females had played such a vital role in safeguarding the Tribe was special information. Many children especially were thrilled  
to see Maggie take off and soar in circles around the treetops and over the edge of the beach. They were sorely disappointed to be denied a ride  
on the huge bird as well as the panther and the wolves. It was explained that rides were reserved for immediate family members, but petting  
was allowed and encouraged.

When Jacob and Bella returned home that evening with Will, Jay and Sarah, they were tired but happy and contented. Once the children were  
bathed, loved, kissed and tucked in, the Alpha pair slipped under the covers of their bed and snuggled up close. Jacob held Bella's body snugly  
to his as he placed warm kisses on her cheeks, her neck and her mouth.

"Bells honey, this has been a day and a half and I want to thank you for helping me get through it."

Bella stroked his cheek and pushed her fingers up through his hair, massaging his scalp.

"Jacob, you never needed any help getting through today. You were cut out for this leadership stuff and you do it like it's second nature. You're  
that much like your father and all I do is stand to the side, let you shine and puff up with pride at my brilliant husband."

He planted another long, smoldering kiss on her lips before pulling back to look into her eyes.

"I'm awfully glad you think so, honey, but don't forget, I couldn't have ever made it through any of these last years without you. You are my love,  
my heart, my soul Bells. My future is bright because of you."

"Jake, I will always be right here, by your side."

A/N: My lovelies, this is the last chapter to my story. There will be an Epilogue next week  
and my tale will be history. I hope you will be with me until  
then. Thank you to all my readers and reviewers. Thanks and love to my wonderful Beta, Murfy.  
Later, babies.  
mama


	53. Epilogue

By His Side

Epilogue

"Good afternoon, everyone, my name is Chief William Black, welcome to La Push Quileute Reservation. Our Tribe is so pleased  
that you've chosen to visit us this week and we all hope you learn, rest, play and enjoy. Our program today will be simple and  
what we hope will be a light start to your week. We'll all go on a very brief nature hike down to First Beach to see what we can  
find in some of the tidal pools, try to spot some nesting sea eagles, those are the big ones, and then we'll have a late picnic  
lunch and a bonfire. We'll have several Tribal Elders coming to the bonfire to share some of the Quileute legends with us,  
including the story of James Island where our past Chiefs have gone to release their Spirits to the Great Beyond. My grandfather,  
Chief Billy and Chief Jacob, both retired, will be joining us and will stay to answer questions after the legend-sharing time. So if  
everyone's got their hiking boots laced up tight, let's head down to the beach. My brother, Dr. Jay Black is our resident marine  
biologist and he'll be joining us there to help identify all the sea critters we discover."

That evening, the bonfire was blazing brightly, sending blue and green flames and showers of orange sparks into the moist sea  
air. All the guests had been properly stuffed with gourmet food from Bella's Bakery and Bistro. Leah Clearwater White Eagle, the  
proprietor of the restaurant, had personally delivered the food for the large group of tourists visiting the Reservation. Everyone  
was now comfortably seated on staggered rows of log benches, upgraded with cushions and backrests, anxiously awaiting story  
time. Billy, Jacob, Will and Jay, Embry, Paul and Seth were all clustered around the far side of the fire chatting before beginning  
their telling of their Tribe's legends, old and new.

Billy always went first, telling of the origins of the Tribe and the rise of the Spirit Warriors. Paul, Embry and Seth took their turns  
telling of Taha Aki, the third wife, the cold ones, the Great Flood. Finally, Jacob stood and waited until silence had once again  
fallen on the group. Will had identified him only as 'Chief Jacob, retired' rather than trying to explain why his father looked several  
years younger than him and his brother. Jacob's eyes sparkled in the firelight and his somber expression made his audience sense  
that his story would be profound in its message. He began to speak in a smooth, deep voice, resonating with wonder and majesty.

"Many moons after the Spirit Warriors began their struggles to protect our people from the cold ones; a beautiful maiden came to  
live close to the Reservation. At first, she associated closely with cold ones because she was confused about the danger they  
represented. They tried on more than one occasion to hurt her, but eventually they left her alone. She came to our lands as a visitor  
and began a friendship with our Warriors. She fell in love with the leader of the Warriors, the Alpha, and he fell in love with her.  
They bound themselves to one another and began a life together. They started a family and built their home and their lives here.  
They faced many hardships and dangers. The Warrior was able to stand tall and brave because the maiden who became his wife  
and mate was always by his side. He defeated many evils that threatened their happiness and their way of life because she was  
by his side. Her love gave him the strength he needed to overcome all obstacles the Tribe faced. She became a Spirit Warrior in  
her own right and stood by his side to protect their people."

"An ancient legend told of a ritual that could be performed by the Warriors and all their families that would once and for all time  
protect their Tribe and their lands from evils from the other side. With his mate by his side and the other Warriors and their families,  
the Alpha Warrior performed this ritual. They encircled their lands together, women, children and warriors. Their faith and  
determination were tested by the Great Spirit and faced many trials and dangers along the way. With the help of Taha Aki, who  
joined them in his Spirit form, they completed the ritual successfully.

From that day to this, our lands have been a safe haven from all supernatural threats.

The Alpha Warrior and his mate lived and loved in peace and their family grew and prospered. The Alpha stood strong for many  
years and loved his beautiful maiden. She loved her Warrior and vowed that she would forever stand, by his side.

**_A/N: Thank you again to all of my dedicated readers. Your reviews and words of encouragement have filled my heart with gladness._**  
**_ Thank you again to the best Beta in the world, I love you Murfy. Please stay tuned and read my next story, Shadows of Love._**


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